CVE-2006-4787 in AlphaMail
Summary
by MITRE
AlphaMail before 1.0.16 allows local users to obtain sensitive information via the logging functionality, which displays unencrypted passwords in an error message. NOTE: some details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4787 affects AlphaMail versions prior to 1.0.16 and represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the application's logging mechanism. This vulnerability exposes sensitive authentication credentials through error message outputs, creating a significant security risk for local users who can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to password information. The issue stems from improper handling of sensitive data within the application's diagnostic and logging components, where password values are displayed in plain text format rather than being properly sanitized or masked during error conditions. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it affects local users who already have system access, potentially enabling privilege escalation or credential harvesting attacks that could compromise the entire system.
The technical flaw manifests in the logging functionality where the application fails to implement proper input sanitization and output filtering for sensitive information. When error conditions occur during system operation, the logging mechanism inadvertently includes unencrypted password values in error messages, making them accessible to any user with read access to the log files or error output streams. This behavior violates fundamental security principles for handling sensitive data and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices. The vulnerability operates at the application level rather than at network or system boundaries, making it particularly dangerous because local access is often considered a trusted state within security models, yet this flaw allows attackers to extract credentials from within that trusted environment.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates multiple attack vectors for malicious actors who can leverage the exposed password information to escalate privileges or move laterally within a system. The exposure of unencrypted passwords in error messages provides attackers with immediate access to authentication credentials that could be used to compromise user accounts, administrative access, or system resources. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple credential theft as it can enable attackers to maintain persistent access to systems, conduct further reconnaissance, or launch more sophisticated attacks. Security professionals must consider this vulnerability as part of broader threat modeling exercises, particularly when evaluating systems where local user access is not properly restricted or monitored.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate patching of affected AlphaMail installations to version 1.0.16 or later, which should include proper input validation and output sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive logging policies that prevent sensitive data from being written to log files, including the implementation of data masking or redaction techniques. The fix should incorporate proper error handling that does not expose authentication credentials, aligning with security standards such as those defined in the CWE-200 category for information exposure. Additionally, system administrators should conduct thorough log file reviews to identify any instances where password information may have been previously exposed and implement monitoring solutions to detect similar vulnerabilities in other applications. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to the principle of least privilege and implementing proper access controls for log files and system diagnostic information, as recommended in various cybersecurity frameworks including those aligned with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework for credential access techniques.