CVE-2014-7844 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
BSD mailx 8.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted email address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7844 affects BSD mailx versions 8.1.2 and earlier, representing a critical command injection flaw that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This vulnerability resides in the email handling functionality of the mailx utility, which is widely used for sending and receiving electronic mail on unix-like operating systems. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes email addresses containing maliciously crafted input that bypasses normal parsing mechanisms and gets interpreted as executable commands by the underlying system shell.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the mailx application's address parsing logic. When processing email addresses, the software fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted by the shell, particularly when the application constructs system calls or executes shell commands to handle email delivery. This creates a classic command injection vector where attacker-controlled data flows directly into shell execution contexts without proper sanitization. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application level rather than requiring system-level privileges, making it exploitable by remote unauthenticated attackers.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-7844 extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it can lead to complete system compromise and persistent access for attackers. Successful exploitation allows adversaries to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the mailx process, which typically runs with system-level permissions. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, system enumeration, privilege escalation to root access, and potential lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability affects a wide range of unix-like systems including various BSD implementations, macOS, and other systems that incorporate the vulnerable mailx software. Network-based attacks can occur through simple email delivery, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations that process external email traffic or maintain email services.
Security professionals should prioritize patching affected systems immediately, as no effective workarounds exist for this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation involves upgrading to mailx version 8.1.3 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization measures. Organizations should also implement network-based restrictions to limit email processing capabilities and monitor for suspicious email traffic patterns. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-78 categories, representing command injection flaws that allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands through improper input handling. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. System administrators should also consider implementing email filtering solutions and network segmentation to reduce the attack surface and limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.