CVE-2002-1131 in SquirrelMail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in SquirrelMail 1.2.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute script as other web users via (1) addressbook.php, (2) options.php, (3) search.php, or (4) help.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2025
Cross site scripting vulnerabilities in SquirrelMail versions 1.2.7 and earlier represent a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. These vulnerabilities affect four primary PHP script files including addressbook php options php search php and help php which are fundamental components of the email client's user interface. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within these scripts, allowing attackers to craft malicious payloads that exploit the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses. The vulnerability permits attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking credential theft and unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims.
The technical implementation of these cross site scripting flaws occurs when user input parameters are directly incorporated into HTML output without proper sanitization or encoding. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs or form submissions containing script tags or javascript code that gets executed when other users view the affected pages. The attack vectors span across multiple functional areas of SquirrelMail including address book management options configuration search functionality and help documentation where user input is processed and displayed without adequate security controls. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 Cross Site Scripting which is classified as a common weakness in web application security and represents one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application vulnerabilities according to the OWASP Top Ten. The attack follows the typical pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566 Initial Access through Web Shell and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter where attackers leverage web application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple script execution to potentially compromise entire user sessions and sensitive email communications. When successful, attackers can steal session cookies and impersonate legitimate users to access their email accounts, read confidential messages, send emails from compromised accounts, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities in the addressbook php and options php files particularly dangerous as they provide access to user configuration data and contact information which can be used for further attacks or social engineering campaigns. The search php and help php components also pose significant risks as they may be frequently accessed by users and could serve as effective vectors for delivering malicious payloads to multiple victims simultaneously. Organizations using affected SquirrelMail versions face potential data breaches, unauthorized access to email communications, and possible compliance violations under data protection regulations.
Mitigation strategies for these cross site scripting vulnerabilities require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the affected SquirrelMail components. Organizations should upgrade to SquirrelMail versions 1.2.8 or later where these vulnerabilities have been addressed through proper sanitization of user input and implementation of secure output encoding. The recommended approach involves implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, applying proper HTML escaping to all user-supplied data before rendering, and conducting thorough input validation on all parameters received by the vulnerable scripts. Additionally, organizations should implement web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts, conduct regular security audits of web applications, and establish proper security monitoring to identify potential exploitation attempts. The fix for these vulnerabilities aligns with security best practices outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Guidelines and represents a fundamental requirement for maintaining web application security standards. Regular patch management procedures should be implemented to ensure timely updates of all web application components and prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced through outdated software versions.