CVE-2005-2278 in MailEnable Professional
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the IMAP daemon (imapd) in MailEnable Professional 1.54 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via the status command with a long mailbox name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2278 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the IMAP daemon component of MailEnable Professional version 1.54. This security weakness resides in the mail server's authentication and message handling infrastructure, specifically within the status command processing functionality that manages mailbox name parameters. The flaw enables remote authenticated attackers to exploit the vulnerable software by crafting specially formatted mailbox names that exceed the allocated buffer space, thereby corrupting adjacent memory locations on the stack.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the IMAP daemon's processing logic. When an authenticated user sends a status command containing an excessively long mailbox name, the application fails to properly bounds-check the input data before copying it into a fixed-size stack buffer. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the vulnerable code does not verify that the mailbox name length remains within predefined limits, allowing attackers to overwrite critical stack memory including return addresses and function parameters. The attack vector requires prior authentication to the IMAP service, making it a privilege escalation vulnerability rather than a purely remote exploit.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations relying on MailEnable Professional for their email infrastructure. Successful exploitation could allow authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the IMAP daemon process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the email services, as attackers could gain unauthorized access to email messages, modify system configurations, or disrupt email operations. Organizations with multiple users authenticated to the IMAP service face increased risk exposure since any authenticated user could potentially exploit this weakness.
The security implications extend beyond simple code execution, as this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK tactics including privilege escalation and command and control operations. The CWE classification for this issue would be CWE-121, stack-based buffer overflow, which is a well-documented weakness in software development practices. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the IMAP service, and monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for long mailbox name patterns in IMAP status commands could help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in server applications, particularly those handling user-provided data in network services.