CVE-2004-0153 in Emil
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple format string vulnerabilities in emil 2.1.0 and earlier may allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by triggering certain error messages.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0153 represents a critical format string vulnerability affecting the emil email client version 2.1.0 and earlier. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category CWE-134 which specifically addresses the use of format strings with user-supplied data without proper validation or sanitization. The emil client, which was designed for handling email communications, contained implementation flaws that allowed malicious actors to manipulate format specifiers within error handling routines, creating potential pathways for arbitrary code execution.
The technical flaw manifests when the emil client processes error messages that contain user-provided data without adequate protection against format string attacks. When error conditions occur during email processing or network communication, the application's error handling code may directly incorporate user-supplied input into format string operations. This creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious format specifiers that, when processed by the vulnerable application, can lead to memory corruption and potentially arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered remotely through crafted email content or network communications that cause the application to generate specific error messages.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on the emil email client for email processing. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending specially crafted emails or network packets that trigger error conditions within the client. When these error conditions occur, the format string vulnerabilities allow attackers to manipulate memory locations, potentially leading to stack corruption, heap corruption, or other memory-related issues that can be leveraged for code execution. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur without requiring local system access or user interaction beyond receiving the malicious email content, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise systems at scale.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can potentially allow attackers to escalate privileges, access sensitive data, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. According to ATT&CK framework category T1059, this vulnerability enables adversaries to execute malicious code remotely, while T1211 addresses the technique of exploitation for privilege escalation. Organizations using affected versions of emil should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions, implementing network-level filtering to block suspicious email content, and monitoring for potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices, particularly in applications that handle untrusted data through error handling mechanisms. Security practitioners should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.