CVE-2011-2753 in SquirrelMail
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in SquirrelMail 1.4.21 and earlier allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of unspecified victims via vectors involving (1) the empty trash implementation and (2) the Index Order (aka options_order) page, a different issue than CVE-2010-4555.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2753 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting SquirrelMail versions 1.4.21 and earlier. This vulnerability operates within the realm of web application security and specifically targets the authentication mechanisms of the email client. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate authenticated sessions by exploiting the lack of proper request validation, potentially allowing unauthorized actions to be performed on behalf of legitimate users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core functionality of the email system, including the empty trash implementation and the Index Order page, which are fundamental components of user interaction within the application.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of cross-site requests within the SquirrelMail application. When users navigate to specific pages such as the empty trash functionality or the Index Order configuration page, the application fails to verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same domain. This absence of proper anti-CSRF token validation creates an exploitable condition where attackers can craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users. The vulnerability manifests when the application processes requests without requiring confirmation tokens or other mechanisms to verify the authenticity of the request source, making it possible for attackers to execute unauthorized operations on behalf of victims.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2753 extends beyond simple data theft or manipulation, as it fundamentally compromises the authentication integrity of the SquirrelMail system. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can potentially empty users' trash folders, modify email ordering preferences, and perform other administrative actions that could lead to information loss, privacy violations, or further exploitation opportunities. The unspecified nature of the victims suggests that any authenticated user of the vulnerable SquirrelMail installation could be targeted, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users access the same system. This type of vulnerability directly violates security principles related to authentication and authorization, as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration standard CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the category of credential access and privilege escalation. Attackers can leverage CSRF attacks to gain unauthorized access to user accounts and potentially escalate their privileges within the email system. The attack vector involves tricking users into visiting malicious websites or clicking on compromised links that automatically submit requests to the vulnerable SquirrelMail instance. These attacks typically require social engineering elements to be successful, as users must be induced to interact with malicious content while authenticated to the target system. The impact is particularly severe because email systems often contain sensitive personal and business information, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for organizations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2753 focus primarily on implementing proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the SquirrelMail application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to SquirrelMail versions that have addressed this vulnerability, as the most effective solution involves applying the security patches provided by the software vendors. Additionally, implementing proper anti-CSRF token validation on all state-changing requests, including those related to trash management and configuration pages, would prevent exploitation. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can also provide additional defense-in-depth measures. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper session management practices further strengthens the overall security posture against such attacks. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure that proper security controls are in place to protect against cross-site request forgery attacks.