CVE-2013-6037 in Secure Mail Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in Aker Secure Mail Gateway 2.5.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the msg_id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2026
The CVE-2013-6037 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Aker Secure Mail Gateway version 2.5.2 and earlier systems. This vulnerability exists in the index.php script and specifically targets the msg_id parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code within the context of legitimate user sessions. The Aker Secure Mail Gateway is a security solution designed to protect email communications, making this vulnerability particularly concerning as it could potentially compromise email security and allow attackers to manipulate or intercept sensitive communications. The vulnerability's classification as a client-side attack vector means that it primarily affects end users who interact with the web interface of the mail gateway system.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the msg_id parameter handling mechanism. When the application processes user-supplied data through this parameter without proper sanitization, it fails to escape or encode special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that are then executed in the browser of authenticated users who view the affected page. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of proper input filtering and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary commands within the context of the affected application. Given that this vulnerability affects a mail gateway system, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to email communications, potentially exposing sensitive business information, personal data, or confidential correspondence. The attack surface is particularly broad as the vulnerability affects all users who interact with the web interface of the mail gateway, making it a significant risk for organizations that rely on this security solution for email protection. This vulnerability could be exploited by attackers who craft malicious links or attachments containing the XSS payload, which when clicked by a user with access to the mail gateway interface would execute the attacker's code.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-6037 should prioritize immediate patching of the Aker Secure Mail Gateway to version 2.5.3 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing, particularly for parameters like msg_id that are directly used in web page generation. The implementation of Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed within the browser. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit exposure of the mail gateway interface to only authorized users. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of access to the vulnerable index.php script, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications within the organization's infrastructure. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper secure coding practices to prevent such client-side attacks from compromising system integrity and user security.