CVE-2006-4255 in horde
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in horde/imp/search.php in Horde IMP H3 before 4.1.3 allows remote attackers to include arbitrary web script or HTML via multiple unspecified vectors related to folder names, as injected into the vfolder_label form field in the IMP search screen.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2019
The CVE-2006-4255 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Horde IMP H3 email client application prior to version 4.1.3. This vulnerability exists in the search.php script and specifically targets the vfolder_label form field within the IMP search interface. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content through multiple unspecified vectors related to folder names, creating a significant security risk for users of the affected email system. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking and credential compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the Horde IMP application. When users create or manipulate folder names within the email client, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it back to the browser interface. This occurs specifically in the vfolder_label field where folder names are processed and displayed, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79 which identifies improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic XSS attack vector. The attack can be executed through various means including crafted folder names that contain script tags or other malicious code sequences.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to email security infrastructure and user privacy. Attackers can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code in the browser context of authenticated users, potentially leading to complete account compromise, data exfiltration, and unauthorized access to sensitive email communications. The impact is particularly concerning given that email systems often contain confidential business information, personal data, and credentials that could be harvested through such attacks. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the email client and can be leveraged to create persistent threats against users who regularly interact with the affected system. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566 (Phishing) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) techniques, as attackers can use the XSS flaw to deliver malicious payloads and execute commands in user browsers.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability involves upgrading to Horde IMP version 4.1.3 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive security patches and ensure all affected systems are updated immediately. Additional mitigations include implementing proper content security policies, deploying web application firewalls, and conducting regular security assessments of email infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights the need for robust security practices in email client software development. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures for handling XSS vulnerabilities in email systems.