CVE-2016-1193 in Garoon
Summary
by MITRE
Cybozu Garoon 3.7 through 4.2 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive email-reading information via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1193 affects Cybozu Garoon versions 3.7 through 4.2, representing a significant security flaw that exposes sensitive email reading information to remote attackers. This issue falls under the category of information disclosure vulnerabilities, which can have severe implications for organizations relying on the platform for their communication infrastructure. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may be exploitable through multiple attack paths, making it particularly concerning from a security perspective. Organizations using these versions of Garoon may be unknowingly exposing confidential email content and associated metadata to unauthorized parties.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely stems from inadequate access controls or improper authentication mechanisms within the email reading functionality of the Garoon platform. Given that the vulnerability allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information, it suggests that the system may not properly validate user credentials or may have insufficient session management controls. This type of flaw typically manifests when applications fail to implement proper authorization checks before granting access to email content, potentially allowing any authenticated user or even unauthenticated attackers to read emails they should not have access to. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and may also relate to CWE-352, covering cross-site request forgery conditions that could enable unauthorized access to email resources.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1193 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as email communications often contain sensitive business data, personal information, and confidential discussions that could be exploited for financial gain, corporate espionage, or social engineering attacks. Organizations may face regulatory compliance violations if email data is compromised, particularly in industries subject to data protection regulations such as healthcare, finance, or government sectors. The remote nature of the attack vector means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the network or system. This vulnerability could enable attackers to gather intelligence about business operations, identify key personnel, and potentially use the acquired information for more sophisticated attacks, as outlined in the attack patterns described by the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the information gathering and credential access domains.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of affected Garoon versions to the latest security releases provided by Cybozu. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable system to untrusted networks. Additional defensive measures include implementing robust monitoring for unusual email access patterns, conducting regular security assessments of the platform, and ensuring that proper user access controls and authentication mechanisms are in place. The remediation efforts should align with industry best practices for vulnerability management as recommended by NIST SP 800-80 and ISO/IEC 27001 standards, focusing on comprehensive risk assessment and timely implementation of security patches. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures to address potential breaches resulting from this vulnerability.