CVE-2005-0707 in Ipswitch Collaboration Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the IMAP daemon (IMAP4d32.exe) for Ipswitch Collaboration Suite (ICS) before 8.15 Hotfix 1 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a long EXAMINE command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0707 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the IMAP daemon component of Ipswitch Collaboration Suite version 8.14 and earlier. This security weakness specifically affects the IMAP4d32.exe process responsible for handling internet message access protocol communications. The vulnerability manifests when the daemon processes an excessively long EXAMINE command, which is a standard IMAP operation used to examine mailboxes without altering their state. The buffer overflow occurs due to insufficient input validation and bounds checking within the command processing routine, allowing maliciously crafted input to overwrite adjacent memory regions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated user account, which significantly reduces the attack surface compared to unauthenticated exploits. However, the impact remains severe as authenticated users can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the IMAP daemon process. This typically translates to system compromise, as the daemon often runs with elevated privileges to access mail store files and perform administrative functions. The buffer overflow occurs in the command parsing logic where the EXAMINE command parameter is copied into a fixed-size buffer without proper length verification, creating a classic stack-based buffer overflow scenario. The flaw aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a direct violation of secure coding practices that mandate input validation and bounds checking.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to email server environments running affected versions of Ipswitch Collaboration Suite. Organizations utilizing this software for corporate email services face potential data breaches, system compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive communications. The exploitability factor is relatively low due to the authentication requirement, but the potential impact is high given that successful exploitation can lead to complete system control. Network administrators must consider the implications for email infrastructure security, as compromised IMAP servers can serve as entry points for broader network attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of patch management and timely security updates, particularly for mission-critical services like email servers that handle sensitive corporate data.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2005-0707 involves immediate deployment of Ipswitch's official hotfix version 8.15 Hotfix 1, which addresses the buffer overflow through proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to IMAP services and enforce strong authentication controls. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual EXAMINE command patterns and potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected components within their email infrastructure and ensure that all security patches are applied promptly. The incident underscores the critical need for robust input validation practices in network services and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all enterprise systems.