CVE-2002-1341 in SquirrelMail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in read_body.php for SquirrelMail 1.2.10, 1.2.9, and earlier allows remote attackers to insert script and HTML via the (1) mailbox and (2) passed_id parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1341 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the SquirrelMail webmail application ecosystem. This vulnerability specifically affects versions 1.2.10, 1.2.9, and earlier releases of the SquirrelMail platform, which was widely deployed in enterprise and organizational email environments during the early 2000s. The flaw manifests in the read_body.php script, which serves as a core component responsible for displaying email messages to users within the web interface. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data before rendering it within the browser context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary attack vectors involving the mailbox and passed_id parameters. When an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code or HTML markup and injects it into these parameters, the vulnerable application processes this data without adequate sanitization before displaying it to unsuspecting users. This creates a persistent XSS condition where any user who views the affected email message or navigates to the maliciously crafted URL will execute the injected code within their browser session. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically classified as a stored XSS variant since the malicious content is stored within the application's data structures and executed when other users access the affected resources. The attack chain typically involves an attacker sending a malicious email to a victim or manipulating URL parameters to deliver the payload directly to the victim's browser.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to establish persistent access to user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the email environment. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary commands on behalf of the victim. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where SquirrelMail was commonly deployed as a web-based email solution, as it could enable unauthorized access to sensitive corporate communications. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Initial Access through Spearphishing Attachments, where the malicious payload could be delivered via email and executed when users read compromised messages. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter through web-based scripting, as the injected code executes within the victim's browser context.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures within the SquirrelMail application. The most effective remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding before rendering content in the browser. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts and establish proper parameter validation routines that reject malicious input patterns. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of input validation in web applications and serves as a prime example of why applications should follow secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and the CERT/CC Secure Coding Standards. Given that this vulnerability affects legacy versions of SquirrelMail, the most appropriate long-term solution involves upgrading to patched versions or migrating to more modern email platforms that have robust security measures implemented. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious patterns in URL parameters that could indicate attempted exploitation of similar vulnerabilities.