CVE-2009-4352 in Active Mail 2003
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in TransWARE Active! mail 2003 build 2003.0139.0871 and earlier, and possibly other versions before 2003.0139.0939, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) From, (2) To, (3) Cc, and (4) Bcc parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4352 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting TransWARE Active! mail version 2003 build 2003.0139.0871 and earlier versions, with potential impact extending to other releases prior to 2003.0139.0939. This security weakness resides within the email client's handling of message header parameters, specifically targeting the From, To, Cc, and Bcc fields that are commonly used in email communication. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web script or HTML code directly into these email headers, creating a persistent vector for exploitation that can affect end users interacting with compromised email messages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the TransWARE Active! mail application's processing of email headers. When the application displays email messages containing specially crafted malicious content in the From, To, Cc, or Bcc parameters, it fails to properly sanitize or escape the user-supplied data before rendering it in the web interface. This primitive form of input validation failure allows attackers to inject JavaScript code or HTML elements that execute in the context of the victim's browser session, bypassing normal security boundaries. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate sanitization or encoding.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-4352 extends beyond simple script injection, creating potential for more sophisticated attacks that could compromise user sessions, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious websites. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to perform session hijacking by injecting malicious scripts that capture authentication cookies or other session identifiers. The attack vector is particularly concerning because email headers are fundamental components of email communication that users regularly interact with, making the exploitation surface quite broad. Users who open compromised emails could unknowingly execute malicious code that persists across their browsing sessions, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering through spearphishing campaigns that leverage XSS vulnerabilities to deliver malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4352 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to the latest available version of TransWARE Active! mail, specifically versions 2003.0139.0939 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures at multiple layers including network-based filtering, email gateway scanning, and application-level sanitization of email headers. Network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection patterns in email traffic. Security teams should also conduct regular security assessments of email systems and implement user education programs to recognize potentially malicious email content. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched systems to ensure that the XSS vulnerability has been properly resolved without introducing new functionality issues. Additionally, organizations should establish monitoring procedures to detect any attempted exploitation of this vulnerability through anomalous email traffic patterns or user behavior indicators that might suggest successful XSS attacks have occurred.