CVE-2007-5094 in IMail
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in iaspam.dll in the SMTP Server in Ipswitch IMail Server 8.01 through 8.11 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a set of four different e-mail messages with a long boundary parameter in a certain malformed Content-Type header line, the string "MIME" by itself on a line in the header, and a long Content-Transfer-Encoding header line.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-5094 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within the iaspam.dll component of Ipswitch IMail Server versions 8.01 through 8.11. This flaw resides in the SMTP server's handling of malformed email messages, specifically targeting the Content-Type header processing mechanism. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic software security weakness where insufficient input validation leads to memory corruption that can be exploited by remote attackers to gain arbitrary code execution on the affected system. The attack vector requires the delivery of a carefully crafted sequence of four distinct email messages that manipulate the boundary parameter within Content-Type headers, combined with specific header formatting including standalone "MIME" strings and excessively long Content-Transfer-Encoding headers. This vulnerability operates under the CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow category, which falls under the broader class of memory safety issues that have been consistently identified as high-risk threats in software security assessments. The technical implementation of this flaw involves the improper handling of boundary parameter parsing within the MIME message processing pipeline, where the iaspam.dll module fails to properly validate the length of boundary strings before copying them into fixed-size heap buffers. The attack mechanism leverages the specific combination of header elements to trigger a buffer overflow condition that overwrites adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate program execution flow and inject malicious code. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution as it provides attackers with persistent access to the mail server infrastructure, enabling them to intercept communications, modify email content, establish backdoors, or use the compromised server as a launch point for further attacks within the network. According to ATT&CK framework methodology, this vulnerability maps to T1078 Valid Accounts and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter techniques, as successful exploitation would likely involve establishing persistent access and executing commands through the compromised mail server. The exploitation process requires minimal network interaction and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on IMail Server for email services. Organizations running affected versions should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the mail server, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of input validation and memory safety practices in server applications, particularly those handling untrusted data from external sources. Security teams should also consider implementing email filtering rules that detect and block malformed Content-Type headers, as well as conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other mail server implementations. The presence of this vulnerability in multiple versions of IMail Server demonstrates how memory corruption flaws can persist across releases, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle.