CVE-2018-10352 in Email Encryption Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway 5.5 could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary SQL statements on vulnerable installations due to a flaw in the formConfiguration class. Authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10352 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway version 5.5. This weakness resides in the formConfiguration class component of the email encryption solution, which processes user inputs and configuration data. The vulnerability enables remote code execution through crafted SQL commands that bypass authentication mechanisms, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on this security infrastructure. The flaw specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate database operations. Security researchers have classified this issue as a significant threat due to its remote exploitability and the potential for privilege escalation within the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the formConfiguration class, which handles various configuration parameters for email encryption policies. When an authenticated user submits malformed input through web interfaces or API endpoints, the application processes these inputs without proper sanitization, allowing SQL injection payloads to be executed against the underlying database. This flaw aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is directly incorporated into SQL commands without proper escaping or parameterization. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, suggesting that attackers must first compromise valid user credentials or obtain access through other means such as credential stuffing or phishing attacks. However, once authenticated, the attacker can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary SQL commands with the privileges of the affected application.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-10352 extends beyond simple data theft or database corruption, as it can enable complete system compromise and unauthorized access to encrypted email communications. Organizations utilizing Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway may experience unauthorized data extraction, modification of encryption policies, or potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects email security environments where sensitive communications are processed, potentially exposing confidential business information, personal data, or intellectual property. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gain access to encryption keys, modify user configurations, or establish persistent access points within the email infrastructure. The remote exploitability combined with the requirement for authentication makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations with weak credential management practices or those lacking proper access controls. This weakness directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials usage and T1046 which covers network service scanning, as attackers would likely need to enumerate valid accounts before exploiting this specific SQL injection vulnerability.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Trend Micro, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the email encryption gateway, and strengthening authentication mechanisms through multi-factor authentication. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, so implementing robust access controls and monitoring for unusual authentication patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also review and harden the formConfiguration class implementation to ensure proper input validation and parameterized queries are used throughout the application. Additional mitigations include network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify SQL injection patterns and monitoring for unusual database access patterns. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the email security infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on suspicious SQL injection attempts. The remediation process must include thorough testing to ensure that patch implementations do not disrupt legitimate email encryption services while addressing the core SQL injection vulnerability that allows remote code execution through the formConfiguration class component.