CVE-2008-3395 in Atmail
Summary
by MITRE
Calacode @Mail 5.41 on Linux uses weak world-readable permissions for (1) webmail/libs/Atmail/Config.php and (2) webmail/webadmin/.htpasswd, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading these files. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3395 affects Calacode @Mail version 5.41 running on Linux systems, presenting a critical security weakness through improper file permissions that exposes sensitive configuration data to unauthorized local access. This issue manifests through two specifically affected files within the application's directory structure where world-readable permissions have been improperly configured, creating an exploitable condition that violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and access control.
The technical flaw lies in the misconfiguration of file permissions for two critical system files: webmail/libs/Atmail/Config.php and webmail/webadmin/.htpasswd. These files contain sensitive information including database connection parameters, administrative credentials, and other configuration data essential for system operation. The weak permissions allow any local user on the system to read these files, effectively bypassing the intended access controls and providing unauthorized access to potentially sensitive system information. This misconfiguration represents a classic case of inadequate file system permissions that directly violates security best practices and industry standards such as those outlined in CWE-732 - Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposed configuration data could enable attackers to gain deeper insights into the system architecture and potentially facilitate further exploitation attempts. The database connection details in Config.php could allow an attacker to directly access the database, while the .htpasswd file contains administrative credentials that could be used to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to the administrative interface. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as the information disclosure could enable attackers to craft more convincing social engineering attacks or directly exploit the exposed credentials. The local nature of this vulnerability means that any user with access to the system could potentially exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where privilege separation is expected.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate permission corrections and comprehensive system hardening measures. The primary fix involves changing the file permissions for both affected files to restrict access to only the intended user accounts and system processes, typically requiring chmod 600 or similar restrictive permissions. Additionally, system administrators should implement regular security audits to identify and correct similar permission misconfigurations across the entire system. The remediation process should include verifying that no other system files contain similar permission issues and implementing automated monitoring to prevent future occurrences of such misconfigurations. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adhering to security frameworks like NIST SP 800-53 control CM-7 and ISO 27001 controls A.12.6.1 and A.13.2.3, which emphasize the need for proper access control and information classification. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege enforcement mechanisms and regular security configuration reviews to prevent similar issues from arising in other applications and system components.