CVE-2018-10353 in Email Encryption Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
A SQL injection information disclosure vulnerability in Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway 5.5 could allow a remote attacker to disclose sensitive information on vulnerable installations due to a flaw in the formChangePass class. Authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10353 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway version 5.5 that exposes sensitive data through improper input validation mechanisms. This weakness resides in the formChangePass class component, which processes password change requests without adequate sanitization of user-supplied parameters. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker must first obtain valid credentials before attempting to leverage the SQL injection vector, but once authenticated, the flaw allows for unauthorized data disclosure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate parameter validation within the email encryption gateway's password change functionality. When legitimate users attempt to modify their passwords through the web interface, the system fails to properly escape or sanitize input data before incorporating it into SQL queries. This design flaw enables an authenticated attacker to manipulate the underlying database queries through crafted input sequences, potentially extracting administrative credentials, user information, or other sensitive data stored within the gateway's database. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses where untrusted data is directly incorporated into SQL command strings without proper escaping or parameterization.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations relying on Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway for secure email communications. The requirement for authentication creates a layered security model where an attacker must first compromise legitimate user credentials through social engineering, credential stuffing, or other attack vectors before exploiting the SQL injection. However, the potential impact remains severe as the disclosure of sensitive information could include user email addresses, authentication tokens, or other confidential data that could facilitate further attacks within the organization's email infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the gateway's administrative interface and user management components, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to encrypted email communications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches released for Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway version 5.5, which address the specific SQL injection vulnerability in the formChangePass class. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of the email encryption gateway to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous authentication patterns or unusual database query activity. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected software and ensure proper patch management protocols are in place. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper database query construction as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation, emphasizing the need for robust application security controls in email infrastructure components.