CVE-2005-4666 in PHlyMail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in PHlyMail before 3.3 Beta1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary Javascript via unknown attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4666 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the PHlyMail email client software prior to version 3.3 Beta1. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications and client-side software. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute malicious javascript code within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially compromising user data and system integrity. PHlyMail, being a web-based email management system, was susceptible to this attack vector due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within its codebase.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input data before processing or displaying it within the web interface. Attackers could exploit this weakness through various unknown attack vectors that likely involved manipulating form fields, URL parameters, or other input points within the PHlyMail application. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack means that malicious actors could exploit it without requiring physical access to the target system or local network privileges. This characteristic significantly increases the attack surface and potential impact of the flaw, as it could be leveraged from anywhere on the internet.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-4666 extends beyond simple script injection, as it could enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, credential harvesting, and redirection to malicious websites. Given that PHlyMail serves as an email management platform, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive email communications, personal information, and potentially compromise the broader network through phishing attacks or credential reuse. The vulnerability's presence in a web-based email client makes it particularly dangerous as it could affect multiple users simultaneously, especially in enterprise environments where email systems serve as primary communication channels.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to PHlyMail version 3.3 Beta1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms to provide defense-in-depth measures. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of all web applications and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses. According to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to the T1566 technique category, specifically targeting the 'Phishing' and 'Exploitation for Client Execution' tactics that attackers use to compromise user systems through web-based attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and proper output encoding to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other applications within their infrastructure.