CVE-2002-2344 in WEBppliance
Summary
by MITRE
Ensim WEBppliance 3.0 and 3.1 allows remote attackers to read mail intended for other users by defining an alias that is the target s email address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-2344 represents a significant security flaw in Ensim WEBppliance versions 3.0 and 3.1 that enables unauthorized information disclosure through improper email alias handling. This issue falls under the category of information exposure vulnerabilities, specifically related to improper access control mechanisms within email processing systems. The flaw exists in the alias resolution logic where the system fails to properly validate or restrict access to email messages intended for different users, creating a direct pathway for malicious actors to bypass normal email delivery restrictions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control enforcement within the email alias management functionality. When attackers create an alias that matches the target user's email address, the system incorrectly processes the mail delivery, allowing the attacker to access messages that should only be available to the intended recipient. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checking where the application does not properly verify that the requesting user has legitimate access rights to the target email account. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear failure in the principle of least privilege, where access controls are not properly enforced during the email alias resolution process.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risks for organizations using Ensim WEBppliance 3.0 and 3.1, as it enables passive information gathering and potential data breaches. Attackers can systematically enumerate email addresses and exploit this flaw to access sensitive communications, potentially leading to credential theft, business intelligence gathering, or social engineering attacks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer and requires minimal technical expertise to exploit, making it attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise email communications. This flaw essentially undermines the confidentiality guarantees of email systems and can result in unauthorized access to personal or corporate communications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest available versions of Ensim WEBppliance that address the alias validation issue, implementing proper access controls for alias creation, and establishing monitoring for suspicious alias creation patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to email services and establish logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized alias creation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar access control flaws in other email systems and web applications within the organization's infrastructure.