CVE-2002-1738 in MDaemon
Summary
by MITRE
Alt-N Technologies MDaemon 5.0.5.0 and earlier creates a default MDaemon mail account with a password of MServer, which could allow remote attackers to send anonymous email.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1738 represents a critical security flaw in Alt-N Technologies MDaemon email server software versions 5.0.5.0 and earlier. This issue stems from the software's default configuration where it automatically creates a system account named MDaemon with a hardcoded password of MServer. The weakness lies in the hardcoded credentials approach, which violates fundamental security principles and creates an easily exploitable backdoor for malicious actors. This default account configuration allows unauthorized users to gain access to the email server without proper authentication, enabling them to send anonymous email messages through the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates poor security design practices that align with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software applications. The flaw operates at the authentication layer where the system fails to enforce proper access controls, creating a persistent security risk that remains active until manually addressed by system administrators. Attackers can exploit this weakness by simply connecting to the MDaemon server using the default MDaemon account and the hardcoded password MServer, bypassing all normal authentication mechanisms and gaining full control over the email server's sending capabilities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to establish anonymous email relay capabilities, which can be leveraged for spam distribution, phishing campaigns, and other malicious activities. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it allows threat actors to use the compromised server as a platform for sending large volumes of unsolicited email messages, potentially leading to the server being blacklisted by major email providers. This vulnerability also creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly, as the default account remains active across server restarts and updates unless explicitly disabled or modified.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers the use of legitimate credentials for unauthorized access. Security professionals should consider this issue as part of broader email server hardening requirements and implement comprehensive monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. Mitigation strategies include immediately changing the default MDaemon account password to a strong, unique value, disabling the default account if not required, and implementing proper network segmentation to limit access to email server services. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that no hardcoded credentials remain in system configurations, and organizations should establish policies for proper credential management and access control enforcement. The vulnerability underscores the importance of secure default configurations and the necessity of following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.