CVE-2005-1903 in Mail @Solomon
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the IMAP service for SPA-PRO Mail @Solomon 4.00 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a long CREATE command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1903 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the IMAP service component of SPA-PRO Mail @Solomon version 4.00. This security weakness specifically manifests when processing the CREATE command, which is used to establish new mail folders within the email server environment. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and bounds checking mechanisms that fail to properly handle excessively long command parameters, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by authenticated remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the IMAP service failing to adequately validate the length of the CREATE command parameter before processing it within a fixed-size buffer. When an authenticated user submits a maliciously crafted CREATE command containing an excessive number of characters, the buffer overflow occurs as the input data exceeds the allocated memory space. This memory corruption can overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data, enabling attackers to manipulate the program execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that any legitimate user with access credentials can potentially leverage this flaw.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations relying on SPA-PRO Mail @Solomon 4.00 as it allows remote code execution with the privileges of the IMAP service process. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain full control over the email server, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive communications, and further lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The authenticated nature of the attack reduces the attack surface complexity but does not eliminate the severity of potential consequences. Organizations using this software version face immediate security risks as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring additional reconnaissance or privilege escalation techniques beyond legitimate user access.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate software patching and updates from the vendor to address the buffer overflow condition in the IMAP service implementation. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual CREATE command patterns or anomalous authentication activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and corresponds to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1078 for valid accounts, as the attack requires legitimate authentication credentials to be effective. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for patterns consistent with this specific attack vector and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts.