CVE-2016-4843 in Mailwise
Summary
by MITRE
Cybozu Mailwise before 5.4.0 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive cookie information.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4843 affects Cybozu Mailwise versions prior to 5.4.0, representing a critical security flaw that exposes sensitive authentication tokens to remote attackers. This issue falls under the category of insecure credential handling within web applications, where session management mechanisms fail to properly protect authentication cookies that contain sensitive information. The vulnerability stems from inadequate security controls that allow unauthorized access to session identifiers, potentially enabling attackers to hijack user sessions and gain unauthorized access to email accounts and associated data.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the improper handling of HTTP cookies within the Mailwise application framework. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests or leveraging network monitoring techniques to capture authentication cookies transmitted between clients and the server. These cookies typically contain session identifiers that, when intercepted, can be used to impersonate legitimate users and access their email accounts without proper authorization. The vulnerability demonstrates poor adherence to secure coding practices and inadequate input validation mechanisms that should normally protect session tokens from exposure during transmission.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations utilizing Cybozu Mailwise, as it directly compromises the confidentiality and integrity of user authentication mechanisms. The impact extends beyond individual account compromise to potentially enable broader access to corporate email systems, sensitive communications, and business-critical data. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues, data breach notifications, and potential legal consequences if user credentials are compromised through this vulnerability. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not require physical access to the network or system to exploit this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in cloud-based and distributed environments.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-384, which addresses session management flaws that can lead to session hijacking and unauthorized access. It also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers phishing and social engineering attacks that can be facilitated by credential theft. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Cybozu Mailwise version 5.4.0 or later, implementing proper cookie security attributes such as HttpOnly and Secure flags, and deploying network monitoring solutions to detect suspicious cookie transmission patterns. Additional protective measures include enforcing multi-factor authentication, implementing strict access controls, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications and systems. The remediation process should also include user education about the risks of credential exposure and the importance of maintaining updated software versions to protect against known security flaws.