CVE-2008-1689 in SLMail Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Stack consumption vulnerability in WebContainer.exe 1.0.0.336 and earlier in SLMail Pro 6.3.1.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a long request header in an HTTP request to TCP port 801. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1689 represents a critical stack consumption flaw affecting the WebContainer.exe component within SLMail Pro versions 6.3.1.0 and earlier. This issue specifically targets the HTTP daemon running on TCP port 801, where the vulnerable software fails to properly handle excessively long request headers during HTTP processing. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the web server component, creating a condition where maliciously crafted HTTP requests can trigger stack overflow conditions. The affected SLMail Pro version 6.3.1.0 includes WebContainer.exe version 1.0.0.336 or earlier, making it susceptible to exploitation through carefully constructed HTTP header values that exceed the allocated stack buffer space. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. The flaw manifests when the web server attempts to process HTTP requests containing unusually long header fields, causing the execution stack to overflow and resulting in daemon termination.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it enables remote attackers to reliably crash the HTTP daemon without requiring any authentication or privileged access. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending specially crafted HTTP requests containing malformed header data that consumes excessive stack memory, ultimately leading to a complete service outage for the affected SLMail Pro installation. The vulnerability affects systems where the web server component is actively listening on TCP port 801, typically used for HTTP services, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on this mail server software for web-based access. The denial of service condition occurs because the stack overflow prevents proper execution flow, causing the process to terminate abruptly and requiring manual intervention to restore service. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where mail services are critical infrastructure components, as it can be exploited to disrupt business operations and potentially mask more sophisticated attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-1689 should prioritize immediate patching of affected SLMail Pro installations to version 6.3.2.0 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the stack consumption vulnerability. Organizations should implement network-level restrictions to limit access to TCP port 801, particularly from untrusted networks, to reduce the attack surface. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed HTTP requests with unusually long header fields provides an additional layer of protection. Security administrators should monitor for suspicious traffic patterns and establish automated alerting for potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in server applications, aligning with security best practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST Cybersecurity Framework guidelines. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the mail server infrastructure, as the underlying architectural flaw in the WebContainer.exe component suggests potential for similar vulnerabilities in related modules. Organizations should also consider implementing application firewalls or web application firewalls to provide additional protection against malformed HTTP requests targeting the vulnerable service.