CVE-2016-4460 in Pony Mail
Summary
by MITRE
Apache Pony Mail 0.6c through 0.8b allows remote attackers to bypass authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2019
Apache Pony Mail versions 0.6c through 0.8b contain a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that enables remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system without proper credentials. This flaw stems from insufficient validation of user authentication tokens and session management mechanisms within the application's security framework. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication flow where the system fails to properly verify the legitimacy of authentication requests, allowing malicious actors to exploit weaknesses in the token handling process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the application's session management component where authentication tokens are processed and validated. Attackers can manipulate the authentication flow by crafting specially crafted requests that bypass the standard authentication checks. This weakness is classified as a direct violation of authentication controls and falls under the CWE-287 category for improper authentication. The vulnerability creates a path for privilege escalation and unauthorized access to sensitive mail processing functions, user data, and administrative controls within the Pony Mail system.
The operational impact of this authentication bypass vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to access the mail processing system without legitimate credentials. This creates potential for data exfiltration, unauthorized message manipulation, and system compromise. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Apache Pony Mail for email archiving and processing, potentially exposing sensitive communications and user information. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain persistent access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for environments where email security and compliance are critical.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate patching of the Apache Pony Mail application to the latest stable version that addresses the authentication bypass issue. Organizations should implement additional security controls such as network segmentation, access control lists, and monitoring of authentication attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper session management and token validation, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. System administrators should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication and regular security audits to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.