CVE-2014-7287 in Encryption Management Server
Summary
by MITRE
The key-management component in Symantec PGP Universal Server and Encryption Management Server before 3.3.2 MP7 allows remote attackers to trigger unintended content in outbound e-mail messages via a crafted key UID value in an inbound e-mail message, as demonstrated by the outbound Subject header.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7287 resides within the key-management component of Symantec PGP Universal Server and Encryption Management Server versions prior to 3.3.2 MP7. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that enables remote attackers to manipulate outbound email content through carefully crafted input in inbound messages. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of key User ID (UID) values during the email encryption and decryption process, creating an attack vector that can be exploited without requiring authentication or direct system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the key management subsystem. When an inbound email message contains a crafted key UID value, the system fails to properly process or filter this input before it is used to construct outbound messages. This processing error manifests in the Subject header of outbound emails, where the malicious content injected through the crafted UID value becomes visible to recipients. The flaw operates at the protocol level where PGP key management interacts with email message headers, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary content that bypasses normal email security controls and appears legitimate to end users.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-7287 extends beyond simple content manipulation, creating potential for more sophisticated attacks including phishing campaigns, social engineering attempts, and reputation damage to affected organizations. Attackers can craft malicious email messages that appear to originate from legitimate sources while containing misleading subject lines or other header information that could deceive recipients into taking harmful actions. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and input validation as outlined in the CWE-20 standard, which addresses weaknesses in the design of input validation mechanisms. The attack can be executed remotely without requiring any special privileges or physical access to the affected systems, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where email is a primary communication channel.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the installation of Symantec's security patches or updates to version 3.3.2 MP7 and later. The mitigation strategy should include implementing additional email filtering rules to detect and block suspicious header content, while also conducting thorough security assessments of email infrastructure to identify potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should monitor network traffic for unusual patterns in email headers and implement proper logging and monitoring of key management activities. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, which describes how attackers can leverage vulnerabilities in externally accessible systems to gain unauthorized access or manipulate system behavior. Organizations should also consider implementing email authentication protocols such as DKIM, DMARC, and SPF to add additional layers of protection against header manipulation attacks and to improve overall email security posture.