CVE-2005-2351 in Mutt
Summary
by MITRE
Mutt before 1.5.20 patch 7 allows an attacker to cause a denial of service via a series of requests to mutt temporary files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2351 affects the Mutt email client version 1.5.20 patch 7 and earlier, representing a denial of service weakness that can be exploited through manipulation of temporary files. This issue stems from insufficient handling of temporary file operations within the Mutt application, creating opportunities for malicious actors to disrupt normal system operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the temporary file management mechanisms that Mutt employs during various email processing operations, including message composition, attachment handling, and file transfer activities. The flaw manifests when attackers craft specific sequences of requests that exploit the application's temporary file creation and management routines, leading to resource exhaustion or application instability.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the inadequate validation and management of temporary file operations within Mutt's codebase. When the email client processes certain email content or performs file-related operations, it creates temporary files in system directories to store intermediate data. The vulnerability occurs because Mutt does not properly validate the number of temporary files created or the conditions under which these files are managed. Attackers can exploit this by sending carefully crafted email messages or by manipulating the application's file handling behavior to trigger excessive temporary file creation. This leads to resource exhaustion on the target system, potentially causing the application to crash or become unresponsive, thereby achieving the denial of service objective.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-2351 extends beyond simple application disruption, as it can affect system availability and potentially compromise the overall email infrastructure. In environments where Mutt serves as a primary email client for users or automated systems, this vulnerability could be leveraged to deny legitimate users access to their email services or to disrupt email processing workflows. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through email messages, making it a vector that can affect any system running vulnerable versions of Mutt without requiring special privileges or direct system access. This makes it an attractive target for attackers seeking to disrupt email services in corporate or institutional environments where Mutt is commonly deployed for email management.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which classifies issues related to resource exhaustion, and represents a classic example of how improper resource management can lead to denial of service conditions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving service denial and resource exhaustion, potentially enabling broader attack campaigns when combined with other exploitation methods. The attack vector is particularly relevant in email-based attack scenarios where adversaries can leverage the vulnerability through crafted email content, making it a significant concern for email security administrators and system operators. Mitigation strategies should focus on updating to patched versions of Mutt, implementing proper temporary file management policies, and monitoring for unusual temporary file creation patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of all Mutt installations to version 1.5.20 patch 7 or later, as this release includes the necessary fixes to address the temporary file handling issues. Additionally, system administrators should implement monitoring solutions that track temporary file creation patterns and resource usage to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper resource management in email client applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of file handling operations. Security teams should also consider implementing email filtering rules that can identify and quarantine potentially malicious email content that might trigger this vulnerability. Regular security assessments of email infrastructure should include testing for similar resource exhaustion vulnerabilities that could affect other email client applications and email processing systems.