CVE-2005-3429 in MailSite Express
Summary
by MITRE
Rockliffe MailSite Express before 6.1.22, with the option to save login information enabled, saves user passwords in plaintext in cookies, which allows local users to obtain passwords by reading the cookie file, or remote attackers to obtain the cookies via cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3429 affects Rockliffe MailSite Express versions prior to 6.1.22 and represents a critical security flaw in the authentication mechanism of the email server software. This vulnerability stems from the improper handling of user credentials within the application's cookie management system, creating a significant risk for both local and remote threat actors. The issue manifests when the application's configuration enables the option to save login information, which then leads to the storage of plaintext passwords within cookie files that persist on the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly encrypt or obfuscate user authentication tokens when storing them in cookies. When users elect to save their login information, the system creates cookie files that contain unencrypted passwords, which are subsequently stored in a location accessible to local system users. This design flaw directly violates security best practices and creates a persistent attack surface that remains accessible even after the initial login session expires. The vulnerability can be exploited through multiple vectors, including local file system access and network-based cross-site scripting attacks, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple threat actors may have varying levels of access to the system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe risk for organizations using affected MailSite Express versions, as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to user email accounts without requiring additional authentication factors. The local privilege escalation aspect means that any user with access to the system's file system can read the cookie files and extract plaintext passwords, effectively bypassing all authentication mechanisms. Remote exploitation through XSS vulnerabilities further amplifies the threat, as attackers can inject malicious scripts that steal cookies from authenticated users, enabling them to hijack active sessions and gain access to sensitive email communications. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-312 (CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-79 (CWE-79: Cross-Site Scripting) within the CWE taxonomy, highlighting the dual nature of the flaw.
The attack surface for this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as compromised email accounts can provide access to sensitive corporate communications, personal data, and potentially serve as entry points for further lateral movement within network environments. Organizations utilizing MailSite Express in production environments face significant risk of data breaches, unauthorized access to confidential information, and potential compliance violations if sensitive data is stored in email accounts. The vulnerability's persistence through system restarts and its accessibility through multiple attack vectors make it particularly challenging to mitigate without proper patching and configuration changes. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of ATT&CK technique T1566 (Phishing) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it enables attackers to leverage stolen credentials for persistent access to email systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching to version 6.1.22 or later, which addresses the cookie storage implementation and proper encryption of authentication tokens. Organizations should disable the option to save login information in the application configuration, ensuring that users must re-authenticate for each session. Additionally, implementing proper cookie security attributes such as HttpOnly and Secure flags can help prevent XSS-based cookie theft, while network segmentation and monitoring can help detect unauthorized access attempts. Regular security audits should verify that authentication tokens are properly encrypted and that no plaintext credentials are stored in accessible locations. System administrators should also consider implementing additional authentication factors such as multi-factor authentication to provide defense in depth against credential compromise. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure credential storage practices and the dangers of storing sensitive information in plaintext formats within application components.