CVE-2005-1516 in DMail
Summary
by MITRE
DList (dlist.exe) in DMail 3.1a allows remote attackers to bypass authentication, read log files, and shutdown the system via a sendlog command with an incorrect password hash, which is not properly handled by the _cmd_sendlog function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1516 affects DList component within DMail 3.1a email client software, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that exposes system integrity and confidentiality. This vulnerability resides in the _cmd_sendlog function where improper handling of incorrect password hashes during sendlog command execution creates a pathway for unauthorized remote access. The flaw specifically manifests when the system processes a sendlog command with an invalid password hash, allowing attackers to circumvent normal authentication mechanisms and gain elevated privileges. This represents a fundamental failure in input validation and authentication flow management that directly violates security principles of proper credential verification.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the improper error handling within the _cmd_sendlog function to manipulate the authentication process. When an attacker submits a sendlog command with an incorrect password hash, the system fails to properly validate or reject the input, instead allowing the malformed request to proceed through the authentication pipeline. This flaw enables attackers to bypass authentication entirely, gaining access to system resources that should remain protected. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication subsystem of DMail, where weak input validation allows malicious payloads to be processed without proper credential verification, creating a persistent access vector that can be exploited remotely without requiring legitimate credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypass to include complete system compromise through log file access and system shutdown capabilities. Once authenticated, attackers can read sensitive log files that typically contain system information, user activities, and potentially confidential communications, creating a data exposure risk. The ability to shutdown the system represents a severe availability threat that can be used for denial of service attacks or system disruption. This vulnerability directly enables the attacker to escalate privileges and access system resources that should remain restricted, violating core security principles of access control and privilege management. The combination of authentication bypass, log file reading, and system shutdown capabilities creates a comprehensive attack vector that can be used for both data exfiltration and system disruption.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication mechanisms and CWE-311 which covers the lack of encryption of sensitive data. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices and improper error handling that create opportunities for privilege escalation attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and credential access capabilities, specifically targeting the T1110.003 sub-technique for credential access through exploitation of weak authentication. The vulnerability also relates to T1489 which covers denial of service through system shutdown commands, and T1070 which involves the use of log files for information gathering and persistence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of DMail 3.1a to address the authentication bypass flaw in the _cmd_sendlog function. System administrators should implement strict input validation and error handling for all authentication-related functions to prevent malformed password hashes from being processed through the authentication pipeline. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to DMail services from untrusted networks, limiting the attack surface for remote exploitation. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities in other software components. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring of authentication attempts can help detect exploitation attempts and provide forensic evidence of security incidents. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms to add additional layers of security beyond simple password authentication, reducing the impact of credential-based attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper error handling and input validation in security-critical components, emphasizing that authentication systems must properly validate all inputs regardless of their expected format or legitimacy.