CVE-2011-4554 in One Click Orgs
Summary
by MITRE
One Click Orgs before 1.2.3 allows remote authenticated users to trigger crafted SMTP traffic via (1) " (double quote) and newline characters in an org name or (2) " (double quote) characters in an e-mail address, related to a "2nd Order SMTP Injection" issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-4554 affects the One Click Orgs plugin version 1.2.2 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw in email handling mechanisms. This issue manifests as a second-order SMTP injection vulnerability that occurs when authenticated users manipulate specific character sequences within organizational names or email addresses. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization processes that fail to properly escape or filter special characters before they are processed by the underlying SMTP subsystem. When attackers craft malicious input containing double quote characters combined with newline sequences, the system does not properly sanitize these inputs, allowing malicious SMTP commands to be injected into the email processing pipeline.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated user context, meaning that attackers must first obtain valid credentials to access the system before they can leverage this weakness. The flaw specifically targets the plugin's handling of user-provided data during the organization creation or modification processes, where the system accepts input without proper sanitization for SMTP protocol compatibility. The vulnerability operates through two distinct attack vectors: the first involves the combination of double quotes and newline characters within organization names, while the second targets email address fields containing only double quote characters. Both vectors exploit the same underlying root cause of insufficient input sanitization, making this a systemic issue within the plugin's data processing logic. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-74 category of "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 "Proxy Process Injection" as it enables attackers to manipulate downstream email processing systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or denial of service, as it can enable sophisticated email-based attacks including message forwarding, spam relay, or even email spoofing. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially redirect email communications, inject malicious content into outgoing emails, or compromise the integrity of the email delivery system. The second-order nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious input may appear legitimate in the user interface but becomes problematic only when processed by the SMTP subsystem, making detection more challenging for administrators. This characteristic also means that the vulnerability could persist in the system for extended periods without detection, as the malicious behavior manifests only during specific processing operations rather than at the point of input. Organizations using this plugin face significant risk of email-based data exfiltration, message manipulation, and potential compromise of their email infrastructure, particularly in environments where the plugin handles sensitive organizational communications or user data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input sanitization measures that properly escape or filter special characters before they are processed by the SMTP subsystem. System administrators should upgrade to version 1.2.3 or later of the One Click Orgs plugin, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including application-level sanitization, SMTP protocol validation, and regular security auditing of email processing components. Network-level monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous SMTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix should address both attack vectors by ensuring that double quote characters and newline sequences are properly escaped or removed from user inputs before they are processed by the email subsystem. Security teams should also consider implementing email content filtering rules and monitoring for suspicious email patterns that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability, particularly in environments where the plugin is used for managing organizational email communications or user account management systems.