CVE-2003-0297 in c-client
Summary
by MITRE
c-client IMAP Client, as used in imap-2002b and Pine 4.53, allows remote malicious IMAP servers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via certain large (1) literal and (2) mailbox size values that cause either integer signedness errors or integer overflow errors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2019
The CVE-2003-0297 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the c-client IMAP client library, which was widely deployed in email applications including imap-2002b and Pine 4.53. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of large data values during IMAP protocol communication, specifically affecting literal and mailbox size parameters. The flaw manifests when malicious IMAP servers send oversized data values that trigger integer arithmetic errors in the client implementation. These integer errors occur due to insufficient validation of input parameters, particularly when dealing with signed integer representations that can overflow or underflow during arithmetic operations. The vulnerability impacts the core IMAP client functionality and exposes systems to both denial of service conditions and potential remote code execution scenarios.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting specially malformed IMAP responses that contain excessively large literal values or mailbox size indicators. When the vulnerable c-client library processes these oversized values, it encounters integer signedness errors or integer overflow conditions that cause memory corruption. The signedness errors occur when the client incorrectly interprets signed integer values as unsigned, leading to unexpected behavior during memory allocation or buffer handling. Integer overflow errors happen when arithmetic operations exceed the maximum representable value for the integer type, causing the system to behave unpredictably. These conditions can result in stack corruption, heap corruption, or other memory management issues that ultimately lead to application crashes or arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2003-0297 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enable remote attacker control over affected systems. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause email clients to crash repeatedly, rendering them unusable for legitimate users and creating denial of service conditions for end users. More critically, the integer overflow conditions can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems. This vulnerability affects email clients that rely on the c-client library for IMAP protocol handling, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where email communication is fundamental to business operations. The impact is exacerbated by the fact that these vulnerable applications were widely deployed across various platforms and organizations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-0297 require immediate patching of affected software versions, as the vulnerability was addressed through proper input validation and integer overflow protection mechanisms. Organizations should prioritize updating their email client applications to versions that include patched c-client libraries, particularly focusing on Pine email clients and IMAP server implementations. Network segmentation and access controls can provide additional protection by limiting exposure to potentially malicious IMAP servers. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow and underflow conditions, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate credentials, as the exploitation can lead to privilege escalation. Regular security assessments and monitoring for unusual IMAP traffic patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. System administrators should also implement proper input sanitization measures and consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed IMAP responses characteristic of this vulnerability.