CVE-2018-7707 in SecurMail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SecurEnvoy SecurMail before 9.2.501 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an HTML-formatted e-mail message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7707 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within SecurEnvoy SecurMail versions prior to 9.2.501. This security weakness resides in the email processing functionality where the system fails to properly sanitize or escape HTML content contained within email messages. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application receives HTML-formatted email messages that contain malicious script code, which can then be executed in the context of a user's browser when the email is viewed within the SecurMail interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the email rendering engine. When SecurEnvoy processes HTML emails, it does not sufficiently filter or escape potentially dangerous HTML tags and JavaScript code embedded within the message content. This allows attackers to craft malicious email payloads that contain scriptlets or HTML elements designed to exploit the browser's execution environment. The flaw operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration classification of CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities where web applications fail to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement scenarios. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated users' sessions, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration. When a user views an infected email message within the SecurMail interface, the embedded malicious code executes automatically in their browser, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited for various malicious activities. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that email systems typically serve as primary communication channels for organizations, making them attractive targets for adversaries seeking to compromise user sessions or access sensitive information.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 category of "Phishing" and T1059.1001 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript". The attack chain typically involves crafting malicious HTML emails with embedded JavaScript payloads that execute when opened by the victim. Organizations using affected versions of SecurEnvoy SecurMail face significant risk of successful social engineering attacks that can bypass traditional email security measures. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill from attackers, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may not be adequately trained to identify suspicious email content. Remediation efforts should focus on updating to SecurEnvoy SecurMail version 9.2.501 or later, implementing additional email filtering rules, and conducting user awareness training to recognize potentially malicious email content.