CVE-2003-1133 in The Bat
Summary
by MITRE
Rit Research Labs The Bat! 1.0.11 through 2.0 creates new accounts with insecure ACLs, which allows local users to read other users email messages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1133 affects The Bat! email client version 1.0.11 through 2.0 developed by Rit Research Labs. This security flaw represents a critical access control issue that undermines the confidentiality of email communications within multi-user environments. The vulnerability stems from the application's improper implementation of access control lists during the account creation process, creating a fundamental weakness in the email client's security architecture.
The technical flaw manifests when the email client creates new user accounts, where it fails to properly configure access control permissions for the newly established accounts. This insecure default configuration allows local users to access email messages belonging to other users on the same system. The vulnerability operates at the file system level where email data is stored with insufficient permission controls, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive information. The issue is particularly concerning because it affects the core security model of the application, potentially exposing private communications, personal data, and business information to unauthorized individuals who share the same system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it compromises the fundamental security assumptions of multi-user email environments. Local users who can access other users' email messages gain access to potentially sensitive communications, including personal correspondence, business negotiations, confidential documents, and private discussions. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can be exploited by malicious insiders or compromised local accounts to gain unauthorized access to confidential information. The impact is particularly severe in corporate environments where email clients are used extensively for business communications, potentially leading to data breaches, intellectual property theft, and privacy violations.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues in software applications. The flaw demonstrates a clear failure in implementing proper access control mechanisms during account creation, allowing unauthorized access to resources. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through local system access. The exploitation requires only local system access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by any user with access to the system. The vulnerability also relates to CWE-732, which covers inadequate protection of system resources, as the email client fails to properly protect user data with appropriate access controls. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including proper account configuration, access control reviews, and system monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. The recommended approach involves ensuring that all user accounts are created with appropriate access controls and that system administrators regularly audit account permissions to prevent such insecure configurations from persisting.