CVE-2006-0130 in MailSite
Summary
by MITRE
Mail Management Agent (MAILMA) (aka Mail Management Server) in Rockliffe MailSite 7.0.3.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to attempt authentication with an unlimited number of user account names and passwords without denying connections, limiting the rate of connections, or locking out an account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0130 affects the Mail Management Agent component within Rockliffe MailSite version 7.0.3.1 and earlier systems. This represents a significant security weakness that fundamentally undermines the authentication mechanisms of the email server infrastructure. The flaw exists within the MAILMA service which handles mail management operations, creating an environment where unauthorized parties can exploit the system's lack of proper access control measures. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication process, allowing attackers to conduct extensive brute force or dictionary attack attempts against user credentials without encountering typical rate limiting or account lockout mechanisms that would normally protect against such attacks.
This security weakness directly maps to CWE-307, which describes inadequate account lockout mechanisms that fail to prevent unauthorized access attempts. The absence of connection rate limiting, account lockout functionality, and proper authentication throttling creates a scenario where attackers can systematically test numerous username and password combinations against the mail server. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and affects the authentication service itself, making it particularly dangerous as it targets the core security controls that protect user accounts and email data. Attackers can leverage this flaw to conduct prolonged credential guessing attacks without risk of being blocked by the system, effectively rendering account protection mechanisms ineffective.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches, service disruption, and compromise of sensitive email communications. Since the MAILMA service handles mail management operations, successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain access to user email accounts, potentially leading to information disclosure, message interception, and unauthorized email sending capabilities. The vulnerability essentially creates an open door for credential stuffing attacks where attackers can test multiple account combinations without risk of being detected or blocked, making it particularly attractive for automated attack tools. Organizations relying on Rockliffe MailSite versions prior to 7.0.3.2 face significant risk of account compromise, especially in environments where email systems serve as primary communication channels for business operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through patching the Rockliffe MailSite software to version 7.0.3.2 or later, which includes proper authentication rate limiting and account lockout mechanisms. System administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as network-level rate limiting, firewall rules to restrict access to mail server ports, and monitoring for unusual authentication patterns. The implementation of multi-factor authentication where possible would provide additional protection layers against credential compromise. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other systems running vulnerable versions of MailSite and ensure proper access controls are implemented. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following ATT&CK framework principle T1110, which addresses credential access techniques including password guessing and brute force attacks, emphasizing the need for robust authentication controls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent such attacks.