CVE-2006-6239 in MailEnable
Summary
by MITRE
webadmin in MailEnable NetWebAdmin Professional 2.32 and Enterprise 2.32 allows remote attackers to authenticate using an empty password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-6239 represents a critical authentication flaw in MailEnable NetWebAdmin Professional and Enterprise versions 2.32. This issue allows remote attackers to bypass the authentication mechanism by exploiting a weakness in the password validation process. The flaw specifically enables unauthorized access when an empty password is provided, effectively creating a backdoor that undermines the entire security framework of the web administration interface.
This vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and can be classified as CWE-254 according to the Common Weakness Enumeration taxonomy. The technical implementation flaw stems from improper validation of authentication credentials where the system fails to properly validate that a password has been provided before granting access. The vulnerability exists at the application layer and specifically affects the web-based administrative interface of the MailEnable product, making it accessible over the network without requiring legitimate credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with unrestricted access to the mail server's administrative functions. An attacker could potentially modify email configurations, create or delete user accounts, access sensitive email data, and perform other administrative operations that could compromise the entire email infrastructure. This vulnerability enables privilege escalation from unauthorized access to full administrative control of the mail server, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on MailEnable for their email services.
The attack vector for this vulnerability is straightforward as it requires only network access to the affected web interface. Remote attackers can exploit this flaw without needing physical access or prior credentials, making it particularly attractive to malicious actors. The vulnerability persists across all versions of MailEnable NetWebAdmin Professional and Enterprise 2.32, indicating a fundamental flaw in the authentication implementation that was not addressed in the affected releases.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from MailEnable, disabling the web administration interface if not required, or implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to the affected service. Additional protective measures include deploying network segmentation, implementing strong firewall rules, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper authentication implementation and input validation, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1110 for credential access. System administrators should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify other potential authentication weaknesses and ensure that all administrative interfaces properly validate user credentials before granting access privileges.