CVE-2011-4189 in GroupWise Client
Summary
by MITRE
The client in Novell GroupWise 8.0x through 8.02HP3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (heap memory corruption and application crash) via a long e-mail address in an Address Book (aka .NAB) file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-4189 represents a critical heap memory corruption issue affecting Novell GroupWise 8.0x through 8.02HP3 client applications. This flaw resides in the handling of email addresses within Address Book files with the .NAB extension, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through routine email processing activities. The vulnerability manifests when the client application encounters a malformed or excessively long email address within the Address Book structure, triggering unpredictable memory behavior that can lead to system compromise or service disruption.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking occurs during memory allocation and manipulation. When the GroupWise client processes an oversized email address field within the .NAB file, the application fails to properly validate the input length before attempting to allocate heap memory for storage. This inadequate validation creates a scenario where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing remote code execution or causing application instability through heap corruption. The flaw operates at the memory management layer where the application's heap allocator does not enforce proper size limits for email address fields, creating exploitable conditions for both privilege escalation and denial of service attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it enables remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the GroupWise client process. This capability places organizations at significant risk since email addresses are commonly shared through legitimate business communications, making the attack vector easily accessible through social engineering or compromised email accounts. The vulnerability affects organizations using legacy GroupWise installations, particularly those that have not implemented proper security updates or patches, creating widespread exposure across enterprise environments where email infrastructure remains critical for business operations. The heap corruption can result in unpredictable application behavior, including crashes, data loss, or potential privilege escalation depending on the execution environment and system configuration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-4189 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Novell, as this vulnerability has been addressed through official security updates. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of GroupWise client systems and consider disabling .NAB file processing for untrusted sources. The implementation of input validation controls at multiple layers including email gateway filtering and client-side address book sanitization can provide additional protection. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual email address patterns or malformed data in address book files, while compliance with ATT&CK framework technique T1059.007 for application execution and T1499.004 for network disruption should be considered in incident response planning. Organizations must also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all GroupWise client installations and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from remaining unaddressed in legacy systems.