CVE-2013-2585 in Atmail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Atmail Webmail Server 6.6.x before 6.6.3 and 7.0.x before 7.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO to index.php/mail/viewmessage/getattachment/folder/INBOX/uniqueId/<MessageID>/filenameOriginal/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2024
The CVE-2013-2585 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Atmail Webmail Server software that affects versions 6.6.x prior to 6.6.3 and 7.0.x prior to 7.0.3. This vulnerability resides in the web application's handling of user input within the PATH_INFO parameter of the index.php endpoint, specifically when processing mail attachment requests. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the affected system. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating a persistent vector for malicious code injection.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the PATH_INFO parameter in the URL structure, where attackers can inject malicious payloads that get executed when legitimate users view affected mail messages. The attack vector specifically targets the getattachment endpoint within the mail viewmessage functionality, where the application processes the folder path, unique message identifier, and filenameOriginal parameters without adequate input validation or output encoding. This failure to properly handle user input creates an XSS condition that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS issue where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper sanitization, making it particularly dangerous for webmail applications that handle sensitive user communications.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2585 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to compromise user sessions and access confidential email communications. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability allows malicious actors to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or inject malicious content that can persist across multiple user interactions. In the context of email servers, this represents a significant threat to both individual user privacy and organizational security, as attackers can potentially access sensitive business communications, personal information, or credentials stored within email messages. The vulnerability's presence in a webmail interface makes it particularly attractive to threat actors, as it can be exploited through social engineering tactics where users are tricked into clicking malicious links. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a common vector in the ATT&CK framework under the T1566 technique for initial access through spearphishing.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the vendor-provided patches for Atmail Webmail Server versions 6.6.3 and 7.0.3, which contain proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Additional mitigations include implementing proper content security policies that restrict script execution, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting thorough input validation across all user-supplied parameters. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring for suspicious URL patterns and user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content or email data, and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing to identify similar flaws in other webmail or collaboration platforms.