CVE-2012-4912 in GroupWise
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the WebAccess component in Novell GroupWise 8.0 before Support Pack 3 and 2012 before Support Pack 1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted signature in an HTML e-mail message.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2021
The CVE-2012-4912 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Novell GroupWise 8.0 and 2012 email systems prior to their respective support pack updates. This vulnerability resides in the WebAccess component, which serves as the web-based interface for accessing GroupWise email services. The flaw specifically manifests when the system processes HTML email messages containing crafted signatures that include malicious script code. The vulnerability has been categorized under CWE-79 as a classic cross-site scripting weakness, where the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in web pages. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted HTML email messages with embedded malicious scripts in the sender's signature field, which are then executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the email through the WebAccess interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. When victims view the compromised email message, the malicious JavaScript code executes in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or inject additional malicious content into the email interface. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing with attachments and T1071.001 for application layer protocol usage. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because email signatures are commonly trusted elements that users expect to be harmless, making social engineering aspects more effective. The vulnerability affects the web-based email interface specifically, meaning that users accessing GroupWise through desktop clients would not be directly impacted, though the broader email ecosystem could still be compromised through other attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4912 should prioritize immediate application of the vendor-provided support packs, specifically Support Pack 3 for GroupWise 8.0 and Support Pack 1 for GroupWise 2012. Organizations should implement comprehensive email content filtering and sanitization policies that strip or escape HTML content in email signatures and attachments before delivery. Network-level defenses including web application firewalls and content inspection systems can provide additional protection layers. Security teams should also consider implementing email security solutions that can detect and block suspicious script patterns in email headers and content. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, aligning with OWASP Top Ten security principles and the principle of least privilege. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other web-based email systems and applications, as this type of vulnerability often indicates broader security architecture issues that may affect other components of the email infrastructure.