CVE-2008-7012 in Secure File Transfer Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
courier/1000@/api_error_email.html (aka "error reporting page") in Accellion File Transfer Appliance FTA_7_0_178, and possibly other versions before FTA_7_0_189, allows remote attackers to send spam e-mail via modified description and client_email parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7012 affects the Accellion File Transfer Appliance FTA_7_0_178 and potentially earlier versions up to FTA_7_0_188. This security flaw resides within the courier/1000@/api_error_email.html component, which serves as the error reporting page for the file transfer appliance. The vulnerability specifically targets the email sending functionality that occurs when error conditions are encountered during file transfers, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on this platform for secure file exchanges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the error reporting mechanism. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that modify the description and client_email parameters through the API error email endpoint. These parameters are directly used in the email generation process without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary email addresses and content into the error reporting emails. This manipulation enables the exploitation of the system's email functionality for unauthorized mass email transmission, effectively turning the legitimate error reporting mechanism into a vehicle for spam distribution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple spam generation, as it represents a significant abuse of the system's intended functionality. Organizations using the Accellion File Transfer Appliance become unwitting participants in spam distribution campaigns, potentially damaging their reputation and violating anti-spam regulations. The vulnerability also poses risks to the broader network infrastructure, as the spam emails may trigger spam filters and email security systems, leading to potential blacklisting of the organization's email servers. Additionally, this flaw could serve as an entry point for more sophisticated attacks, as attackers might use the spam emails to distribute malicious content or conduct phishing campaigns.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-74, which describes "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component" and reflects the classic pattern of insufficient input validation leading to unintended behavior in web applications. The attack vector follows ATT&CK technique T1192, "Spoofing," as attackers can spoof email addresses and content to appear legitimate while sending spam messages. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and sanitization of all parameters used in email generation functions, along with rate limiting and monitoring of email sending activities. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to version FTA_7_0_189 or later, which includes proper parameter validation and sanitization mechanisms to prevent unauthorized email manipulation. Network-level protections such as email filtering and monitoring systems should also be enhanced to detect and prevent abuse of the error reporting functionality.