CVE-2008-0210 in Uebimiau
Summary
by MITRE
Uebimiau Webmail 2.7.10 and 2.7.2 does not protect authentication state variables from being set through HTTP requests, which allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via a sess[auth]=1 parameter settting. NOTE: this can be leveraged to conduct directory traversal attacks without authentication by using CVE-2008-0140.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-0210 affects Uebimiau Webmail versions 2.7.10 and 2.7.2, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that undermines the security posture of the webmail application. This issue stems from improper handling of authentication state variables within the HTTP request processing mechanism, creating a pathway for remote attackers to manipulate session state without legitimate credentials. The vulnerability specifically exploits the sess[auth]=1 parameter setting, which allows attackers to directly manipulate authentication flags within the application's session management system. This flaw operates at the application layer and demonstrates a fundamental weakness in how the software validates and manages user authentication states.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly sanitize or validate incoming HTTP parameters that control authentication status. When an attacker submits a request containing sess[auth]=1, the webmail application processes this parameter without adequate validation, effectively granting administrative privileges or full access to authenticated functions. This represents a classic case of insecure parameter handling that falls under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms. The vulnerability creates a direct pathway for privilege escalation, allowing attackers to bypass the normal authentication flow entirely and access protected resources or functionality that should only be available to authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypass, as it can be leveraged in conjunction with other exploits to create more severe security breaches. Specifically, the vulnerability can be exploited to conduct directory traversal attacks without authentication by utilizing CVE-2008-0140, which demonstrates how multiple vulnerabilities can compound to create more dangerous attack vectors. Attackers can combine these exploits to gain unauthorized access to sensitive files, directories, and system resources that should remain protected. This combination of vulnerabilities represents a sophisticated attack pattern that follows ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access, potentially enabling full system compromise.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from system administrators and security teams responsible for maintaining the affected Uebimiau Webmail installations. The most effective remediation involves implementing proper input validation and parameter sanitization for all authentication-related HTTP parameters, ensuring that session state variables cannot be manipulated through external requests. Organizations should also implement proper access control mechanisms that validate user credentials before granting access to protected functions, rather than relying on client-side parameter settings. Additionally, the application should enforce proper session management practices that invalidate session tokens when authentication fails or when parameters are detected as potentially malicious. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately to address this vulnerability, as the affected versions have been superseded by more secure releases that properly handle authentication state management and prevent parameter manipulation attacks.