CVE-2005-3690 in Mailenable Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the IMAP service (meimaps.exe) of MailEnable Professional 1.6 and earlier and Enterprise 1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long mailbox name in the (1) select, (2) create, (3) delete, (4) rename, (5) subscribe, or (6) unsubscribe commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3690 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow affecting MailEnable's IMAP service implementation. This flaw exists within the meimaps.exe process that handles Internet Message Access Protocol operations for MailEnable versions 1.6 and earlier for Professional edition and 1.1 and earlier for Enterprise edition. The vulnerability specifically manifests when processing mailbox name parameters in six distinct IMAP commands including select, create, delete, rename, subscribe, and unsubscribe operations. The buffer overflow occurs due to inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the IMAP service implementation, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a classic stack buffer overflow pattern where malicious input exceeding the allocated buffer size causes memory corruption. When an attacker sends a specially crafted mailbox name exceeding the buffer capacity through any of the vulnerable IMAP commands, the excessive data overflows into adjacent stack memory regions. This memory corruption can overwrite return addresses, function pointers, and other critical control data structures, allowing attackers to redirect program execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects multiple IMAP commands, increasing the attack surface and providing multiple potential entry points for exploitation. The flaw directly maps to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a high-severity weakness in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to email server security as it allows remote code execution without requiring authentication. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the affected MailEnable server with the privileges of the IMAP service account. This capability enables complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability affects organizations using older MailEnable versions, which were common in enterprise environments during the mid-2000s period when this vulnerability was discovered. The impact extends beyond immediate code execution to include potential denial of service conditions and persistent backdoor installation, making it a comprehensive security risk that could compromise entire email infrastructures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected MailEnable installations to versions that address the buffer overflow conditions. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to IMAP services and consider disabling unnecessary IMAP commands where possible. The implementation of input validation controls and boundary checking should be enforced at the application level to prevent similar issues in other components. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual IMAP command patterns and malformed mailbox name parameters. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving remote code execution through protocol manipulation and privilege escalation. System administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify exploitation attempts targeting this specific buffer overflow pattern. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation in network service implementations, particularly for protocols handling user-supplied data in server applications.