CVE-2011-3580 in Mail Server
Summary
by MITRE
IceWarp WebMail in IceWarp Mail Server before 10.3.3 allows remote attackers to obtain configuration information via a direct request to the /server URI, which triggers a call to the phpinfo function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3580 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the IceWarp WebMail component of the IceWarp Mail Server software. This vulnerability exists in versions prior to 10.3.3 and exposes sensitive system configuration data to remote attackers through a straightforward exploitation technique. The flaw manifests when an attacker directly accesses the /server URI endpoint, which subsequently triggers the execution of the phpinfo function within the web application's codebase. This particular vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure issues that can significantly compromise system security posture by revealing detailed server configuration parameters, PHP settings, and potentially sensitive environment variables that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a lack of proper access controls and authentication checks within the web application's URI handling mechanism. When the /server endpoint is accessed, the application fails to verify whether the request originates from an authenticated user or system component, instead directly executing the phpinfo function that outputs comprehensive server configuration details. This function reveals extensive information including php version, loaded extensions, server environment variables, configuration settings, and potentially sensitive paths and credentials stored in the server environment. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and access control implementation, which aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) classifications. From an operational perspective, this flaw enables attackers to gather intelligence about the target system architecture, software versions, and potential attack vectors that could be leveraged for subsequent exploitation attempts.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the gathered configuration data can serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks within the target environment. Attackers can utilize the exposed information to identify potential weaknesses in the server configuration, detect installed software versions that may contain known vulnerabilities, and understand the underlying infrastructure setup. The exposure of PHP configuration details particularly enables attackers to identify misconfigurations such as debug modes being enabled, file upload restrictions that may be bypassed, or insecure parameter handling that could lead to further exploitation. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1212 (Exploitation for Credential Access) and T1592 (Get Access) within the enterprise attack framework, as it provides adversaries with crucial intelligence for planning more targeted attacks against the compromised system.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement access control measures to restrict direct access to the /server URI endpoint and ensure that all IceWarp Mail Server installations are updated to version 10.3.3 or later. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing proper authentication checks before executing privileged functions like phpinfo, as well as configuring web server access controls to prevent unauthorized access to internal system endpoints. Security administrators should also conduct comprehensive network scans to identify any exposed instances of the vulnerable software and implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative endpoints. Additionally, regular security assessments should verify that no other similar endpoints exist within the application that could expose sensitive system information, and that proper input validation and access control mechanisms are consistently applied across all web application components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust access control policies to prevent unauthorized disclosure of system configuration details.