CVE-2005-2724 in SqWebMail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SqWebMail 5.0.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a file attachment that is processed by the Display feature. NOTE: the severity of this issue has been disputed by the developer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2724 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the SqWebMail 5.0.4 web-based email client application. This security weakness resides in the application's file attachment processing functionality, specifically within the Display feature that handles file attachments. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers who view the compromised email messages. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied data from file attachment names or content during the display rendering process, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the victim's browser environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the standard XSS attack pattern where malicious input is not adequately filtered or escaped before being rendered in web pages. In the case of SqWebMail 5.0.4, when a user views an email containing a specially crafted file attachment, the application processes the attachment name or content without proper input validation, allowing attacker-controlled script code to be executed in the victim's browser context. This particular variant demonstrates how web applications handling file metadata can become attack vectors, as file names often contain user-controllable data that should be treated as untrusted input. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which classifies improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a critical weakness in web application security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. An attacker could craft a malicious file attachment with script code embedded in its name or content, and when victims open the email message containing this attachment, their browsers would execute the malicious code. This creates a persistent threat vector where legitimate users become unwitting participants in the attack chain, potentially compromising their email accounts and sensitive information. The vulnerability affects the application's core functionality and user trust model, as users expect email attachments to be safe to view. The security implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where email systems handle sensitive business communications and personal data.
The disputed severity rating from the developer highlights the complexity of vulnerability assessment and the varying perspectives on risk mitigation. While the vulnerability clearly presents a security risk, the developer may have questioned the practical exploitability or impact compared to other security flaws. However, XSS vulnerabilities typically carry significant risk due to their potential for widespread exploitation and the ease with which attackers can craft convincing payloads. Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense including input validation, output encoding, and content security policies to protect against this class of vulnerability. The attack surface for this flaw includes not only direct email viewing but also any web interface that processes file metadata, making it essential for developers to follow secure coding practices and apply proper sanitization techniques. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of input validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls that should be applied consistently throughout web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1203 which covers exploitation for credential access through web application vulnerabilities.