CVE-2004-2585 in SmarterMail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in frmCompose.aspx in SmarterTools SmarterMail 1.6.1511 and 1.6.1529 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via Javascript to the "check spelling" feature in the compose area.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2585 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within SmarterTools SmarterMail email client software versions 1.6.1511 and 1.6.1529. This security weakness resides in the frmCompose.aspx component which handles email composition functionality, specifically exposing the "check spelling" feature to malicious input injection attacks. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially compromising user security and data integrity. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or encode user input received through the spell checking functionality within the email composition interface. When users compose emails and utilize the spell checking feature, the application processes the input without adequate validation mechanisms to prevent malicious script injection. This processing gap creates an environment where attackers can embed javascript code or HTML elements that will execute when other users view the affected email or interact with the spell checking feature. The vulnerability specifically targets the compose area of the email client, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect any user who interacts with the spell checking functionality while composing messages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker could craft a specially formatted email with embedded malicious scripts that would execute when another user opens the email or uses the spell checking feature. This could result in unauthorized access to email accounts, corporate data breaches, or the distribution of malware to other users within the organization. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where SmarterMail is used extensively, as a single compromised email could potentially affect multiple users and systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-2585 should focus on immediate patching of affected software versions, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts within the application context. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and the need for comprehensive security testing of web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content. This issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks through malicious email content, and highlights the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches as outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments and implement proper security awareness training to help users recognize and avoid potentially malicious email content that could exploit such vulnerabilities.