CVE-2012-4058 in SocketMail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SocketMail Pro 2.2.9 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the subject of an email.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2019
The CVE-2012-4058 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in SocketMail Pro version 2.2.9, a web-based email management system. This vulnerability resides in the email subject field processing mechanism, where the application fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within web pages. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of a victim's browser session, potentially compromising user security and data integrity.
This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications. The technical implementation flaw occurs when the SocketMail Pro application directly incorporates user-supplied subject line data into HTML output without appropriate input validation or output encoding mechanisms. When an attacker crafts a malicious email with a specially formatted subject line containing javascript code or html tags, the vulnerable application processes this input without proper sanitization, leading to script execution in the victim's browser.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the context of the web application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even execute persistent attacks through stored XSS vectors. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of SocketMail Pro 2.2.9 installations, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through legitimate email communication channels. Users who access their email through the vulnerable web interface become potential targets whenever they view emails containing malicious subject lines.
Security professionals should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by applying the vendor-provided patch or upgrading to a non-vulnerable version of SocketMail Pro. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms for all user-supplied data, particularly in fields that are rendered within web pages. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and regular security scanning to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1566 - Phishing, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads through email channels, and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it allows for script execution within victim environments. Additional defensive measures include web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious input patterns and user education regarding the risks of opening suspicious emails or clicking on untrusted links.