CVE-2004-2422 in IMail
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple features in Ipswitch IMail Server before 8.13 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via (1) a long sender field to the Queue Manager or (2) a long To field to the Web Messaging component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2422 affects Ipswitch IMail Server versions prior to 8.13 and represents a classic buffer overflow condition that can be exploited to achieve remote denial of service. This weakness stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within two distinct components of the email server software. The vulnerability manifests when maliciously crafted email messages are sent to specific server interfaces, causing the application to crash and terminate unexpectedly. The affected components include the Queue Manager which processes email messages in the outgoing queue and the Web Messaging component that handles web-based email functionality. Both scenarios involve sending email headers with excessively long field values that exceed the allocated buffer space within the server application's memory management system. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The attack vector requires remote access and can be executed without authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where email servers are exposed to external traffic.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates how improper input handling can lead to application instability and service disruption. When a long sender field is sent to the Queue Manager, or when a long To field is processed by the Web Messaging component, the server fails to properly validate the length of these email header fields before processing them. This lack of input sanitization allows attackers to craft specially formatted email messages that contain header fields exceeding the maximum buffer capacity allocated by the application. The resulting memory corruption causes the server processes to terminate abnormally, leading to a complete denial of service condition that prevents legitimate email communication. The vulnerability's impact is significant as it affects core email server functionality, potentially disrupting business communications and requiring system administrators to restart services manually. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes denial of service attacks targeting application availability, and specifically addresses the server-side application layer rather than network infrastructure components.
The operational consequences of CVE-2004-2422 extend beyond simple service interruption to encompass potential business disruption and security implications. Organizations relying on Ipswitch IMail Server for email communication face the risk of sustained denial of service attacks that could prevent legitimate email traffic from being processed, leading to communication breakdowns with customers, partners, and employees. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target these servers from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or prior authentication credentials. System administrators must monitor for unusual email traffic patterns and implement proper input validation measures to prevent exploitation. The impact is particularly severe in environments where email servers handle critical business communications, as the service disruption can lead to financial losses and operational inefficiencies. Organizations should consider implementing network-level protections such as email filtering rules and access control lists to prevent malicious email traffic from reaching vulnerable server components. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of regular software updates and patch management processes to ensure that known security flaws are addressed promptly. This case study exemplifies how basic input validation issues can lead to significant security implications and demonstrates the necessity of following secure coding practices that prevent buffer overflow conditions through proper bounds checking and memory management techniques.