CVE-2018-0681 in Denbun
Summary
by MITRE
Denbun by NEOJAPAN Inc. (Denbun POP version V3.3P R4.0 and earlier, Denbun IMAP version V3.3I R4.0 and earlier) uses hard-coded credentials, which may allow remote attackers to login to the Management page and change the configuration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0681 affects Denbun by NEOJAPAN Inc. products including Denbun POP version V3.3P R4.0 and earlier, and Denbun IMAP version V3.3I R4.0 and earlier. This security flaw represents a critical configuration issue that exposes systems to unauthorized access through the use of hard-coded credentials within the software implementation. The vulnerability specifically impacts the management page functionality of these email client applications, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors seeking to compromise system integrity.
The technical flaw manifests through the inclusion of hardcoded authentication credentials within the application code itself, rather than implementing proper dynamic credential management or secure configuration mechanisms. This approach violates fundamental security principles and creates a persistent vulnerability that remains exploitable across all versions up to and including the affected releases. The presence of hard-coded credentials means that any individual who can access the application's source code or reverse-engineer the binary would gain immediate administrative access to the management interface. This design flaw falls under the CWE-798 category of using hardcoded credentials, which is classified as a severe security weakness in the Common Weakness Enumeration system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the ability to modify system configurations and potentially establish persistent access points within network environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain full administrative control over the affected email client applications, enabling them to alter email routing rules, modify user access controls, and potentially redirect email traffic to malicious destinations. The remote nature of the attack vector means that adversaries do not require physical access to the systems or local network presence to exploit this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where such applications may be deployed across multiple locations.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the initial access and privilege escalation domains, where adversaries seek to establish footholds through well-known default credentials or hardcoded authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability's exploitation typically involves accessing the management interface through standard web protocols and using the hard-coded credentials to authenticate and gain administrative privileges. Organizations deploying these affected versions face significant risk of unauthorized configuration changes, potential data exfiltration through modified email routing, and possible use of the compromised systems as launching points for further network infiltration activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0681 require immediate action to upgrade to patched versions of the Denbun software releases, as the vulnerability cannot be effectively addressed through configuration changes alone due to the hardcoded nature of the credentials. Organizations should conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all instances of the affected software across their networks and implement network segmentation to limit access to management interfaces. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts to management pages, and access controls should be implemented to restrict administrative access to only trusted network segments. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting known management interface endpoints. The fundamental remediation approach involves complete software replacement with versions that properly implement credential management without hardcoded authentication values, adhering to security best practices established in industry standards and frameworks.