CVE-2005-1960 in email
Summary
by MITRE
The getemails function in C.J. Steele Tattle allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in certain log entries, as demonstrated using shell metacharacters in an FTP username.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1960 resides within the getemails function of C.J. Steele Tattle, a web-based email notification system that was widely used for monitoring and alerting purposes. This system was designed to process log entries and generate email notifications based on specific events, making it a critical component in network monitoring and security operations. The flaw represents a classic command injection vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary system commands on the affected server. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system processes log entries containing shell metacharacters, particularly in FTP username fields where these characters can be manipulated to trigger unintended command execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of user-supplied input within the getemails function. When the system processes log entries, it fails to adequately sanitize or escape special shell characters such as semicolons, ampersands, backticks, and pipes that could be used to chain commands. An attacker can craft a malicious FTP username containing these shell metacharacters to inject and execute arbitrary commands on the vulnerable system. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-78, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and represents a fundamental failure in input validation and output encoding. The attack vector leverages the system's trust in log data without proper sanitization, creating a path for privilege escalation and system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it provides attackers with potential access to the underlying operating system and its resources. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to read sensitive files, modify system configurations, install malware, or establish persistent access through backdoor creation. The vulnerability affects systems where C.J. Steele Tattle is deployed for monitoring network activities, particularly those that process FTP logs or other network authentication data. Given that the system typically runs with elevated privileges to access and process log files, the potential for system compromise is significant. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting the execution of malicious commands through compromised applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the getemails function to prevent shell metacharacters from being interpreted as commands. This includes validating and filtering all user-supplied input before processing, particularly in fields that may be used in system command execution contexts. Organizations should also consider implementing proper access controls and privilege separation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in system design. Given that this vulnerability was present in older software versions, organizations should ensure they are using patched versions or migrating to more modern monitoring solutions that implement proper input validation and command execution safeguards.