CVE-2012-0389 in MailEnable
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in ForgottenPassword.aspx in MailEnable Professional, Enterprise, and Premium 4.26 and earlier, 5.x before 5.53, and 6.x before 6.03 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Username parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0389 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in MailEnable's forgotten password functionality affecting multiple product versions. This vulnerability exists in the ForgottenPassword.aspx page which handles user authentication recovery requests. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's response by manipulating the Username parameter, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited without user interaction.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the MailEnable authentication system. When users submit requests through the forgotten password form, the application fails to properly sanitize the Username parameter before incorporating it into the response page. This insufficient sanitization creates an XSS vector where malicious input can be executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically affects versions 4.26 and earlier, 5.x versions before 5.53, and 6.x versions before 6.03, indicating a widespread issue across multiple release lines of the software.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An attacker could craft a malicious Username parameter that, when processed by the vulnerable application, would execute scripts in the victim's browser context. This could lead to unauthorized access to email accounts, modification of user data, or redirection to phishing sites. The vulnerability particularly affects email service providers using MailEnable, potentially compromising thousands of user accounts across affected installations.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security. The flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through crafted email addresses. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper parameter sanitization. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to MailEnable versions 5.53 or 6.03 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures should include web application firewalls, regular security assessments, and user education about suspicious email communications that could exploit such vulnerabilities.