CVE-2017-6328 in Messaging Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
The Symantec Messaging Gateway before 10.6.3-267 can encounter an issue of cross site request forgery (also known as one-click attack and is abbreviated as CSRF or XSRF), which is a type of malicious exploit of a website where unauthorized commands are transmitted from a user that the web application trusts. A CSRF attack attempts to exploit the trust that a specific website has in a user's browser.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2025
The Symantec Messaging Gateway vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6328 represents a critical cross site request forgery weakness that undermines the security posture of email gateway systems. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 10.6.3-267 and exposes the messaging infrastructure to unauthorized command execution through maliciously crafted requests. The flaw exploits the fundamental trust relationship between the web application and user browsers, allowing attackers to perform actions without user knowledge or consent. In the context of email security appliances, this presents a significant risk as the messaging gateway typically handles sensitive email traffic and administrative functions that require robust authentication mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper validation mechanisms within the Symantec Messaging Gateway's web interface. When users authenticate to the administrative console, the application relies on session cookies and browser-based trust to maintain access control. However, the lack of anti-CSRF tokens or similar protective measures means that malicious actors can craft web requests that leverage the authenticated user's session. This type of attack falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in software applications. The attack vector typically involves sending a victim to a malicious website containing embedded requests that automatically submit commands to the vulnerable gateway, effectively executing unauthorized administrative operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate email routing rules, modify user accounts, and potentially gain persistent access to the email infrastructure. An attacker could redirect email traffic to malicious servers, disable security features, or create backdoor accounts for future access. This represents a direct threat to email security and can lead to data exfiltration, spam relay, or complete compromise of the email infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where the messaging gateway serves as a central hub for email communication and security policy enforcement. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and credential access, as it allows unauthorized access through trusted user sessions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6328 require immediate patching of the Symantec Messaging Gateway to version 10.6.3-267 or later, which includes the necessary anti-CSRF token implementation. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as network segmentation to limit access to the administrative interface, enforce multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts, and monitor for suspicious administrative activities. The solution addresses the root cause by implementing proper request validation mechanisms that ensure all administrative requests contain valid anti-CSRF tokens, thereby breaking the attack chain that relies on session hijacking. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of other Symantec products and similar email security appliances to identify potential similar weaknesses in their infrastructure, as CSRF vulnerabilities often manifest in web-based administrative interfaces across various security products.