CVE-2005-1308 in SqWebMail
Summary
by MITRE
SqWebMail allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via CRLF sequences in the redirect parameter followed by the desired script or HTML.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1308 affects SqWebMail, a web-based email client application that was widely used in enterprise environments during the mid-2000s. This security flaw represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that exploits improper input validation mechanisms within the application's handling of redirect parameters. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application processes user-supplied input through the redirect parameter without adequate sanitization or encoding, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content directly into the application's response.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the insertion of CRLF (Carriage Return Line Feed) sequences within the redirect parameter to manipulate the HTTP response headers. When an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing these sequences followed by malicious script code, the application fails to properly sanitize the input before incorporating it into the HTTP response. This allows the injected content to be executed within the context of a victim's browser session, effectively bypassing the application's intended security boundaries. The vulnerability stems from inadequate output encoding and input validation practices that fail to properly escape special characters in HTTP headers, making it particularly dangerous in web applications that rely on user-supplied redirect functionality.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-1308 extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious domains. An attacker could craft payloads that redirect users to phishing sites, steal session cookies, or inject malicious JavaScript that performs actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where SqWebMail serves as a gateway to corporate email systems, as successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive email communications and potentially escalate to broader network compromise. The attack vector is straightforward and requires minimal technical expertise, making it a popular target for automated exploitation tools and less sophisticated threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application. The primary remediation involves ensuring that all user-supplied input, particularly parameters used in HTTP header construction, undergoes strict sanitization and encoding before being processed. Organizations should implement proper HTTP header validation to prevent CRLF injection attacks and ensure that redirect functionality only accepts predetermined, trusted URLs. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering attacks through malicious links. Security patches should include comprehensive input validation routines that reject or sanitize any input containing CRLF sequences in redirect parameters, along with implementing proper HTTP response header construction that prevents header injection attacks. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications that may be susceptible to the same class of input validation flaws.