CVE-2007-1268 in OpenPGP
Summary
by MITRE
Mutt 1.5.13 and earlier does not properly use the --status-fd argument when invoking GnuPG, which prevents Mutt from visually distinguishing between signed and unsigned portions of OpenPGP messages with multiple components, which allows remote attackers to forge the contents of a message without detection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1268 affects the Mutt email client version 1.5.13 and earlier, specifically concerning its integration with GnuPG for OpenPGP message processing. This flaw represents a critical security issue in email message integrity verification mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of the --status-fd argument during GnuPG invocation, which fundamentally undermines the client's ability to accurately process and display cryptographic signatures for OpenPGP messages containing multiple components. The technical implementation fails to correctly pass status file descriptor information to GnuPG, resulting in incomplete or incorrect signature verification behavior.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote attackers to exploit the signature verification process by crafting messages that appear to contain valid signatures while actually being forged. This occurs because Mutt cannot properly distinguish between signed and unsigned portions of multi-component OpenPGP messages, creating a situation where attackers can manipulate message contents without detection by the recipient. The vulnerability specifically affects the visual distinction capabilities of the email client, meaning users may be misled into believing that messages have been properly signed when they have not been. This type of vulnerability directly compromises the integrity and authenticity guarantees that OpenPGP encryption is designed to provide, creating a false sense of security for users relying on Mutt for secure email communication.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes improper output handling that leads to information exposure, and CWE-347, which addresses improper verification of cryptographic signatures. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers phishing attacks that can be enhanced by manipulating signature verification mechanisms to make malicious content appear legitimate. The vulnerability creates a path for attackers to perform message forgery attacks where they can insert malicious content into signed messages without detection, effectively bypassing the cryptographic protection mechanisms that users expect from OpenPGP implementations. This represents a significant failure in the cryptographic verification pipeline that undermines trust in the email communication process.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to Mutt versions 1.5.14 or later, where the --status-fd argument handling has been properly implemented. Organizations should also implement additional email security measures such as DKIM and DMARC validation to provide additional layers of protection beyond the cryptographic signature verification. Security teams should conduct thorough testing of email client configurations to ensure proper GnuPG integration and consider implementing automated monitoring for suspicious message patterns that might indicate signature forgery attempts. The fix addresses the core technical issue by ensuring that the status file descriptor is correctly passed to GnuPG, allowing the client to properly parse and display signature information for multi-component OpenPGP messages, thereby restoring the intended cryptographic verification capabilities that users depend upon for secure email communication.