CVE-2009-1469 in eMail Server
Summary
by MITRE
CRLF injection vulnerability in the Forgot Password implementation in server/webmail.php in IceWarp eMail Server and WebMail Server before 9.4.2 makes it easier for remote attackers to trick a user into disclosing credentials via CRLF sequences preceding a Reply-To header in the subject element of an XML document, as demonstrated by triggering an e-mail message from the server that contains a user s correct credentials, and requests that the user compose a reply that includes this message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2025
The CVE-2009-1469 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting and credential theft risk within the IceWarp email and webmail server software ecosystem. This vulnerability specifically targets the forgot password functionality implementation in the server/webmail.php component, creating a pathway for remote attackers to manipulate email headers through carefully crafted CRLF sequences. The flaw exists in versions prior to 9.4.2 of both IceWarp email server and webmail server products, making a substantial user base susceptible to exploitation. The vulnerability operates by exploiting the improper sanitization of user input within the email header construction process, particularly affecting the subject element of XML documents that are processed by the server.
The technical mechanism of this vulnerability involves the injection of Carriage Return Line Feed sequences that precede the Reply-To header within email messages generated by the server. When a user triggers the forgot password feature, the server constructs email messages that include the user's credentials in the subject line or other header fields. Attackers can manipulate these email headers by injecting CRLF sequences that cause the server to append additional headers or modify existing ones. This manipulation allows attackers to craft malicious email responses that contain the victim's credentials, effectively enabling credential theft through social engineering techniques. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages legitimate server functionality to deliver malicious payloads, making it difficult to detect through traditional security measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables sophisticated phishing attacks and man-in-the-middle scenarios. Attackers can exploit this weakness to create email messages that appear legitimate to users while simultaneously extracting sensitive information from the server's email processing pipeline. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of improper input validation and output encoding, where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into email headers without adequate sanitization. This flaw directly violates security principles outlined in the CWE-113 category, which addresses improper neutralization of CRLF sequences in HTTP headers. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it requires minimal user interaction beyond triggering the forgot password functionality, making it an effective tool for automated credential harvesting campaigns.
Organizations using IceWarp email and webmail server software must implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect their users from this vulnerability. The primary recommended action involves upgrading to IceWarp version 9.4.2 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization of email headers. Security administrators should also implement network-level monitoring to detect unusual email header patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additional mitigations include configuring email servers to validate and sanitize all incoming and outgoing headers, implementing strict input validation for all user-supplied data, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious CRLF injection attempts. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.002, which covers credential harvesting through phishing and social engineering methods, making it particularly relevant for organizations that must comply with security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001. Given the vulnerability's potential for widespread credential theft and its exploitation through legitimate server functionality, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their email infrastructure and implement comprehensive monitoring to detect any exploitation attempts.