CVE-2003-1523 in dbmail
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the IMAP daemon in dbmail 1.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) login username, (2) mailbox name, and possibly other attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1523 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the IMAP daemon component of dbmail version 1.1. This security weakness resides in the database interaction layer where user-provided input is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into SQL query constructions. The vulnerability specifically affects the login username parameter, mailbox name parameter, and potentially other input vectors within the IMAP protocol implementation, making it a significant threat to email server security.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft malicious input strings that contain SQL command syntax within the login username or mailbox name fields. When the IMAP daemon processes these inputs without adequate sanitization or parameterization, the malicious SQL code becomes part of the executed database query. This allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms, access unauthorized database records, and potentially execute arbitrary database commands with the privileges of the database user account running the IMAP service. The vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which categorizes SQL injection flaws as weaknesses that allow attackers to manipulate database queries through untrusted input.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to email server infrastructure as it enables unauthorized access to user mailboxes, personal information, and potentially sensitive organizational data stored in the backend database. Attackers could leverage this weakness to enumerate user accounts, extract email content, modify database entries, or even escalate privileges within the database system. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other exploitation techniques. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that IMAP services are commonly exposed to external networks and serve as primary email access points for users.
The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK tactics including T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities and T1078 for valid accounts, as successful exploitation would likely result in unauthorized access to legitimate user accounts. Organizations using dbmail 1.1 should prioritize immediate remediation through patch updates from the vendor or implementation of input validation measures. Mitigation strategies should include proper parameterization of database queries, input sanitization of all user-provided data, implementation of least privilege database access controls, and network segmentation to limit exposure of the IMAP service. Additionally, monitoring for unusual database query patterns and implementing web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts.