CVE-2004-2071 in Mail Solution
Summary
by MITRE
Macallan Mail Solution 2.8.4.6 (Build 260), and possibly earlier versions, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication in the web interface via an HTTP GET request with two slashes ("//") after the server name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2071 affects the Macallan Mail Solution 2.8.4.6 (Build 260) and potentially earlier versions of this email security software. This issue represents a significant authentication bypass flaw that could allow remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to the web interface of the mail solution. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of URL paths within the application's web interface, specifically when processing HTTP GET requests that contain double slashes in the server path component.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting a malicious HTTP GET request that includes two consecutive forward slashes after the server name in the URL. This particular pattern causes the application to misinterpret the requested path, effectively bypassing the authentication mechanisms that should normally protect access to the web interface. The flaw demonstrates a classic path traversal or URL parsing vulnerability where the application fails to properly sanitize or validate input containing special path characters. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal attacks. The issue occurs at the application layer where HTTP request parsing logic does not adequately handle malformed URL paths that contain double slashes, allowing attackers to manipulate the application's internal path resolution logic.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a severe risk to organizations using the Macallan Mail Solution, as it enables remote attackers to access administrative functions without proper credentials. The web interface typically contains critical configuration options, user management capabilities, and system monitoring tools that should remain protected from unauthorized access. Once exploited, attackers could potentially modify email filtering rules, add or remove users, access sensitive email content, or even disable security features. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require physical access to the network or system, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where the mail solution is exposed to external networks. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1212, which covers exploitation for credential access through manipulation of application inputs, and represents a clear path to privilege escalation within the email security infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest available version of the Macallan Mail Solution that contains patches for this issue. The vendor should have addressed the path handling logic to properly validate and sanitize URL inputs containing special characters including forward slashes. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the web interface to trusted networks only, while firewall rules can be configured to block suspicious URL patterns. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns or malformed HTTP requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of web applications should include thorough testing of URL parsing and path handling logic to identify similar vulnerabilities that could be exploited in a similar fashion. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and proper error handling in web applications, as the issue could have been prevented through robust sanitization of user-provided URL parameters and implementation of proper access control checks at every request processing stage.