CVE-2017-9519 in Atmail
Summary
by MITRE
atmail before 7.8.0.2 has CSRF, allowing an attacker to create a user account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9519 affects atmail email server software versions prior to 7.8.0.2 and represents a cross-site request forgery flaw that enables unauthorized account creation. This issue resides within the web-based administrative interface of the email server, where the application fails to properly validate and authenticate requests originating from external domains. The flaw stems from insufficient protection mechanisms that should verify the authenticity of user-initiated actions, particularly those involving account management functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic CSRF attack vector where an attacker crafts malicious web pages or email content that, when visited or clicked by an authenticated user, automatically submits requests to the atmail server. The application processes these requests without proper validation of the request origin, allowing arbitrary user account creation. This occurs because the web interface does not implement anti-CSRF tokens or other protective measures that would ensure requests originate from legitimate sources within the same domain. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the user account creation functionality, making it particularly dangerous for administrative access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized account creation, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for further compromise of the email infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can create accounts with varying privilege levels, potentially gaining access to sensitive email data, administrative controls, or using the compromised accounts for phishing activities. The risk is amplified because atmail servers often contain valuable corporate email data, and unauthorized account creation can lead to data exfiltration, email spoofing, or disruption of legitimate email services. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on atmail for business email services and may have significant implications for compliance with data protection regulations.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patch for atmail version 7.8.0.2 or higher to remediate this vulnerability. The fix typically involves implementing proper CSRF token validation mechanisms within the web interface, ensuring that all user account creation requests are authenticated and originate from legitimate sources. Security administrators should also implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious requests. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery flaws, and represents a common weakness in web application security that falls under the attack techniques categorized as T1212 in the MITRE ATT&CK framework for exploitation of web application vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should conduct security assessments to ensure no other similar CSRF vulnerabilities exist within their email infrastructure and implement comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized account creation activities.