CVE-2005-1653 in PostMaster
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in message.htm for Woppoware PostMaster 4.2.2 (build 3.2.5) allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the email parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1653 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Woppoware PostMaster email management system version 4.2.2. This security weakness exists in the message.htm component which processes user input through the email parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web interface, particularly affecting the message handling functionality that processes email content.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied input before rendering it within web pages. Specifically, when the email parameter is passed to the message.htm script, the application directly incorporates this input into HTML output without adequate filtering or encoding. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which describes the use of cross-site scripting to gain unauthorized access to user sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with persistent access to user sessions and potentially sensitive email content. An attacker could craft malicious email parameters that, when viewed by unsuspecting users, would execute scripts to steal authentication cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or modify the displayed content to appear legitimate while performing malicious actions. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no privileged access or complex exploitation techniques, making it highly accessible to attackers with basic web security knowledge. This vulnerability undermines the integrity of the email system's user interface and can compromise the confidentiality of email communications within the affected environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1653 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's web interface. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patch or upgrade to a newer version of Woppoware PostMaster that addresses this vulnerability. Additionally, developers should implement comprehensive input sanitization by filtering or encoding special characters such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags before rendering user input in web pages. The application should employ context-specific output encoding for different HTML contexts including attributes, script contexts, and CSS contexts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, while security awareness training for administrators can help identify potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components of the email infrastructure.