CVE-2005-0324 in Infinite Mobile Delivery Webmail
Summary
by MITRE
Infinite Mobile Delivery Webmail 2.6 allows remote attackers to gain sensitive information via an HTTP request that contains invalid characters for a Windows foldername, which reveals the path in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0324 affects the Infinite Mobile Delivery Webmail version 2.6, representing a classic information disclosure flaw that exposes system paths through improper input validation. This issue arises from the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input when processing HTTP requests, specifically those containing invalid characters that would be rejected by Windows filesystem naming conventions. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the application's error handling mechanism where malformed input triggers verbose error messages that inadvertently reveal critical system path information to remote attackers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts an HTTP request containing characters that are invalid for Windows folder names, such as angle brackets, backslashes, forward slashes, colons, question marks, asterisks, or pipe symbols. When the webmail application processes these invalid characters without proper validation or sanitization, it generates error messages that contain the actual filesystem path where the application is installed. This path disclosure represents a significant information leakage that can provide attackers with insights into the server's directory structure, potentially exposing sensitive deployment information that could be leveraged for further attacks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations deploying the affected webmail solution, as it enables attackers to gather reconnaissance information that could facilitate more sophisticated attacks. The leaked path information can be used to identify the exact location where the application is installed, potentially revealing the operating system version, the presence of other applications, and the overall system architecture. This information disclosure aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes improper error handling as a weakness that can lead to information exposure, and represents a common attack vector that has been documented in numerous security assessments over the years.
The vulnerability's exploitation fits within the initial access phase of the attack lifecycle as defined by the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the technique of "T1083: File and Directory Discovery" where attackers seek to understand the target system's filesystem structure. The disclosure of filesystem paths can enable subsequent attack phases including privilege escalation, lateral movement, and data exfiltration, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous when combined with other weaknesses in the system. Organizations should consider this issue as part of a broader vulnerability management strategy that addresses improper error handling and input validation across all web applications.
Effective mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms that reject or properly encode invalid characters before they can trigger error conditions. The application should be configured to suppress detailed error messages that reveal system paths, instead displaying generic error responses to users while logging detailed information securely for administrative purposes. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and network segmentation can limit the impact of such information disclosure by restricting access to the vulnerable application and reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Organizations should also consider applying security patches or upgrading to newer versions of the Infinite Mobile Delivery Webmail solution that address this specific vulnerability.