CVE-2023-22902 in Mail2000
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2023
Openfind Mail2000 file uploading function has insufficient filtering for user input. An authenticated remote attacker with general user privilege can exploit this vulnerability to inject JavaScript, conducting an XSS attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2025
The CVE-2023-22902 vulnerability resides within the Openfind Mail2000 email server software, specifically targeting its file upload functionality. This issue represents a critical security flaw that undermines the system's input validation mechanisms, allowing malicious actors to bypass security controls through improper sanitization of user-supplied data. The vulnerability affects the software's ability to properly filter and validate file upload parameters, creating an exploitable entry point for cross-site scripting attacks. The flaw exists in the server's handling of file upload operations where insufficient input validation permits the injection of malicious JavaScript code into the system's processing pipeline.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an authenticated user with basic privileges submits a file containing malicious JavaScript payload through the mail server's upload interface. The system fails to adequately sanitize the file name or content, allowing the injected code to persist within the server's file handling mechanisms. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities as a result of insufficient input validation and output encoding. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of inadequate sanitization where user-provided data flows directly into the application's processing without proper security controls to prevent malicious code execution.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple XSS attacks, as it provides attackers with persistent access to execute arbitrary code within the context of the vulnerable application. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require administrative privileges to compromise the system, making the attack surface significantly broader. This vulnerability affects email administrators who may be tricked into uploading malicious files, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive email communications.
Security mitigations for CVE-2023-22902 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding controls within the file upload functionality. Organizations must ensure that all file upload operations include strict validation of file names, content types, and file extensions to prevent malicious code injection. The implementation of proper sanitization routines and the use of secure coding practices can prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of file upload activities can help detect and prevent unauthorized file uploads. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566, which covers social engineering techniques, and T1059, which addresses command and scripting interpreters. Regular security updates and patches from Openfind should be applied immediately, while organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their email infrastructure to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their email systems.