CVE-2006-2806 in James
Summary
by MITRE
The SMTP server in Apache Java Mail Enterprise Server (aka Apache James) 2.2.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long argument to the MAIL command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2806 affects the Apache Java Mail Enterprise Server version 2.2.0, specifically targeting its SMTP server implementation. This flaw represents a classic denial of service condition that can be exploited by remote attackers to consume excessive system resources. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker sends a specially crafted long argument to the MAIL command during SMTP communication, causing the server to process the malformed input in a manner that leads to sustained high cpu utilization.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation within the SMTP server's MAIL command processing logic. When the server receives an unusually long argument to the MAIL command, it fails to properly truncate or limit the input length before processing. This lack of proper bounds checking creates a scenario where the server's processing loop becomes trapped in a resource-intensive operation, consuming cpu cycles continuously without proper termination conditions. The flaw aligns with CWE-770, which describes allocation of resources without proper limits or throttling, and specifically relates to improper input validation within network protocols.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to email server availability and system stability. Attackers can maintain sustained denial of service conditions by sending a single malformed MAIL command with an extended argument, causing the server to remain in a high-cpu state for extended periods. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the continuous resource consumption can affect other services running on the same system, potentially leading to cascading failures. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on Apache James for email services, as it can be exploited without requiring authentication or special privileges, making it accessible to any remote attacker with network access to the smtp service.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks targeting email services. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input length restrictions on smtp commands, rate limiting mechanisms, and monitoring for unusual cpu utilization patterns. The recommended approach involves configuring the server to reject MAIL commands with arguments exceeding a reasonable length threshold, typically well below the maximum allowed by the protocol specification. Additionally, network-level firewalls should be configured to limit the rate of incoming smtp connections and implement connection pooling restrictions to prevent resource exhaustion. Regular security updates and patches should be applied to address this vulnerability, as Apache James 2.2.0 has been superseded by newer versions containing proper input validation mechanisms. System administrators should also implement comprehensive logging and alerting for smtp traffic patterns that indicate potential exploitation attempts, enabling rapid response to any suspicious activity that could indicate an active attack against the email infrastructure.