Vulnerabilities > CVE-2009-1578 - Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability in Squirrelmail

047910
CVSS 4.3 - MEDIUM
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
MEDIUM
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
NONE
Integrity impact
PARTIAL
Availability impact
NONE
network
squirrelmail
CWE-79
nessus

Summary

Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in SquirrelMail before 1.4.18 and NaSMail before 1.7 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving (1) certain encrypted strings in e-mail headers, related to contrib/decrypt_headers.php; (2) PHP_SELF; and (3) the query string (aka QUERY_STRING).

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Squirrelmail
75

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Cross Site Scripting through Log Files
    An attacker may leverage a system weakness where logs are susceptible to log injection to insert scripts into the system's logs. If these logs are later viewed by an administrator through a thin administrative interface and the log data is not properly HTML encoded before being written to the page, the attackers' scripts stored in the log will be executed in the administrative interface with potentially serious consequences. This attack pattern is really a combination of two other attack patterns: log injection and stored cross site scripting.
  • Embedding Scripts in Non-Script Elements
    This attack is a form of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) where malicious scripts are embedded in elements that are not expected to host scripts such as image tags (<img>), comments in XML documents (< !-CDATA->), etc. These tags may not be subject to the same input validation, output validation, and other content filtering and checking routines, so this can create an opportunity for an attacker to tunnel through the application's elements and launch a XSS attack through other elements. As with all remote attacks, it is important to differentiate the ability to launch an attack (such as probing an internal network for unpatched servers) and the ability of the remote attacker to collect and interpret the output of said attack.
  • Embedding Scripts within Scripts
    An attack of this type exploits a programs' vulnerabilities that are brought on by allowing remote hosts to execute scripts. The attacker leverages this capability to execute scripts to execute his/her own script by embedding it within other scripts that the target software is likely to execute. The attacker must have the ability to inject script into script that is likely to be executed. If this is done, then the attacker can potentially launch a variety of probes and attacks against the web server's local environment, in many cases the so-called DMZ, back end resources the web server can communicate with, and other hosts. With the proliferation of intermediaries, such as Web App Firewalls, network devices, and even printers having JVMs and Web servers, there are many locales where an attacker can inject malicious scripts. Since this attack pattern defines scripts within scripts, there are likely privileges to execute said attack on the host. Of course, these attacks are not solely limited to the server side, client side scripts like Ajax and client side JavaScript can contain malicious scripts as well. In general all that is required is for there to be sufficient privileges to execute a script, but not protected against writing.
  • Cross-Site Scripting in Error Pages
    An attacker distributes a link (or possibly some other query structure) with a request to a third party web server that is malformed and also contains a block of exploit code in order to have the exploit become live code in the resulting error page. When the third party web server receives the crafted request and notes the error it then creates an error message that echoes the malformed message, including the exploit. Doing this converts the exploit portion of the message into to valid language elements that are executed by the viewing browser. When a victim executes the query provided by the attacker the infected error message error message is returned including the exploit code which then runs in the victim's browser. XSS can result in execution of code as well as data leakage (e.g. session cookies can be sent to the attacker). This type of attack is especially dangerous since the exploit appears to come from the third party web server, who the victim may trust and hence be more vulnerable to deception.
  • Cross-Site Scripting Using Alternate Syntax
    The attacker uses alternate forms of keywords or commands that result in the same action as the primary form but which may not be caught by filters. For example, many keywords are processed in a case insensitive manner. If the site's web filtering algorithm does not convert all tags into a consistent case before the comparison with forbidden keywords it is possible to bypass filters (e.g., incomplete black lists) by using an alternate case structure. For example, the "script" tag using the alternate forms of "Script" or "ScRiPt" may bypass filters where "script" is the only form tested. Other variants using different syntax representations are also possible as well as using pollution meta-characters or entities that are eventually ignored by the rendering engine. The attack can result in the execution of otherwise prohibited functionality.

Nessus

  • NASL familyRed Hat Local Security Checks
    NASL idREDHAT-RHSA-2009-1066.NASL
    descriptionAn updated squirrelmail package that fixes multiple security issues is now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3, 4, and 5. This update has been rated as having important security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team. SquirrelMail is a standards-based webmail package written in PHP. A server-side code injection flaw was found in the SquirrelMail
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id38922
    published2009-05-27
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/38922
    titleRHEL 3 / 4 / 5 : squirrelmail (RHSA-2009:1066)
  • NASL familySuSE Local Security Checks
    NASL idSUSE_SQUIRRELMAIL-6242.NASL
    descriptionMultiple vulnerabilities have been fixed in SquirrelMail: an XSS and input sanitization bug (both CVE-2009-1578), a server-side code execution (CVE-2009-1579), a login session hijacking bug (CVE-2009-1580) and another bug that allowed phishing and XSS attacks (CVE-2009-1581).
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id38776
    published2009-05-14
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2019 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/38776
    titleopenSUSE 10 Security Update : squirrelmail (squirrelmail-6242)
  • NASL familyGentoo Local Security Checks
    NASL idGENTOO_GLSA-201001-08.NASL
    descriptionThe remote host is affected by the vulnerability described in GLSA-201001-08 (SquirrelMail: Multiple vulnerabilities) Multiple vulnerabilities were found in SquirrelMail: Niels Teusink reported multiple input sanitation flaws in certain encrypted strings in e-mail headers, related to contrib/decrypt_headers.php, PHP_SELF and the query string (aka QUERY_STRING) (CVE-2009-1578). Niels Teusink also reported that the map_yp_alias() function in functions/imap_general.php does not filter shell metacharacters in a username and that the original patch was incomplete (CVE-2009-1381, CVE-2009-1579). Tomas Hoger discovered an unspecified session fixation vulnerability (CVE-2009-1580). Luc Beurton reported that functions/mime.php does not protect the application
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id44897
    published2010-02-25
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2010-2019 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/44897
    titleGLSA-201001-08 : SquirrelMail: Multiple vulnerabilities
  • NASL familyCGI abuses : XSS
    NASL idSQUIRRELMAIL_1418.NASL
    descriptionThe installed version of SquirrelMail fails to sanitize user-supplied input before using it in the
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id38793
    published2009-05-15
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/38793
    titleSquirrelMail contrib/decrypt_headers.php XSS
  • NASL familyDebian Local Security Checks
    NASL idDEBIAN_DSA-1802.NASL
    descriptionSeveral remote vulnerabilities have been discovered in SquirrelMail, a webmail application. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems : - CVE-2009-1578 Cross site scripting was possible through a number of pages which allowed an attacker to steal sensitive session data. - CVE-2009-1579, CVE-2009-1381 Code injection was possible when SquirrelMail was configured to use the map_yp_alias function to authenticate users. This is not the default. - CVE-2009-1580 It was possible to hijack an active user session by planting a specially crafted cookie into the user
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id38859
    published2009-05-20
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/38859
    titleDebian DSA-1802-2 : squirrelmail - several vulnerabilities
  • NASL familyOracle Linux Local Security Checks
    NASL idORACLELINUX_ELSA-2009-1066.NASL
    descriptionFrom Red Hat Security Advisory 2009:1066 : An updated squirrelmail package that fixes multiple security issues is now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3, 4, and 5. This update has been rated as having important security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team. SquirrelMail is a standards-based webmail package written in PHP. A server-side code injection flaw was found in the SquirrelMail
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id67865
    published2013-07-12
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2013-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/67865
    titleOracle Linux 3 / 4 / 5 : squirrelmail (ELSA-2009-1066)
  • NASL familyFedora Local Security Checks
    NASL idFEDORA_2009-4870.NASL
    description - Tue May 12 2009 Michal Hlavinka <mhlavink at redhat.com> - 1.4.18-1 - update to 1.4.18 (fixes CVE-2009-1581) - Thu Dec 4 2008 Michal Hlavinka <mhlavink at redhat.com> - 1.4.17-1 - update to 1.4.17 (fixes CVE-2008-2379) - Wed Oct 1 2008 Michal Hlavinka <mhlavink at redhat.com> - 1.4.16-1 - update to 1.4.16 - resolves: #464185: CVE-2008-3663 Squirrelmail session hijacking Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Fedora security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id38748
    published2009-05-13
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2019 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/38748
    titleFedora 9 : squirrelmail-1.4.18-1.fc9 (2009-4870)
  • NASL familyFedora Local Security Checks
    NASL idFEDORA_2009-4880.NASL
    descriptionsquirrelmail is now able to work with unsigned 32bit UID values with 32-bit version of php Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Fedora security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id38750
    published2009-05-13
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2019 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/38750
    titleFedora 10 : squirrelmail-1.4.18-1.fc10 (2009-4880)
  • NASL familyMacOS X Local Security Checks
    NASL idMACOSX_10_6_4.NASL
    descriptionThe remote host is running a version of Mac OS X 10.6.x that is prior to 10.6.4. Mac OS X 10.6.4 contains security fixes for the following components : - CUPS - DesktopServices - Flash Player plug-in - Folder Manager - Help Viewer - iChat - ImageIO - Kerberos - Kernel - libcurl - Network Authorization - Open Directory - Printer Setup - Printing - Ruby - SMB File Server - SquirrelMail - Wiki Server
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id47023
    published2010-06-15
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2010-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/47023
    titleMac OS X 10.6.x < 10.6.4 Multiple Vulnerabilities
  • NASL familyCentOS Local Security Checks
    NASL idCENTOS_RHSA-2009-1066.NASL
    descriptionAn updated squirrelmail package that fixes multiple security issues is now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3, 4, and 5. This update has been rated as having important security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team. SquirrelMail is a standards-based webmail package written in PHP. A server-side code injection flaw was found in the SquirrelMail
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id38930
    published2009-05-28
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/38930
    titleCentOS 3 / 5 : squirrelmail (CESA-2009:1066)
  • NASL familyMacOS X Local Security Checks
    NASL idMACOSX_SECUPD2010-004.NASL
    descriptionThe remote host is running a version of Mac OS X 10.5 that does not have Security Update 2010-004 applied. This security update contains fixes for the following components : - CUPS - DesktopServices - Flash Player plug-in - Folder Manager - iChat - ImageIO - Kerberos - Kernel - libcurl - Network Authorization - Ruby - SMB File Server - SquirrelMail - Wiki Server
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id47024
    published2010-06-15
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2010-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/47024
    titleMac OS X Multiple Vulnerabilities (Security Update 2010-004)
  • NASL familyFedora Local Security Checks
    NASL idFEDORA_2009-4875.NASL
    description - Tue May 12 2009 Michal Hlavinka <mhlavink at redhat.com> - 1.4.18-1 - updated to 1.4.18 Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Fedora security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id38749
    published2009-05-13
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2019 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/38749
    titleFedora 11 : squirrelmail-1.4.18-1.fc11 (2009-4875)
  • NASL familyScientific Linux Local Security Checks
    NASL idSL_20090526_SQUIRRELMAIL_ON_SL3_X.NASL
    descriptionA server-side code injection flaw was found in the SquirrelMail
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id60590
    published2012-08-01
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2012-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/60590
    titleScientific Linux Security Update : squirrelmail on SL3.x, SL4.x, SL5.x i386/x86_64

Oval

accepted2013-04-29T04:15:01.672-04:00
classvulnerability
contributors
  • nameAharon Chernin
    organizationSCAP.com, LLC
  • nameDragos Prisaca
    organizationG2, Inc.
definition_extensions
  • commentThe operating system installed on the system is Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:11782
  • commentCentOS Linux 3.x
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:16651
  • commentThe operating system installed on the system is Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:11831
  • commentCentOS Linux 4.x
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:16636
  • commentOracle Linux 4.x
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:15990
  • commentThe operating system installed on the system is Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:11414
  • commentThe operating system installed on the system is CentOS Linux 5.x
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:15802
  • commentOracle Linux 5.x
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:15459
descriptionMultiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in SquirrelMail before 1.4.18 and NaSMail before 1.7 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving (1) certain encrypted strings in e-mail headers, related to contrib/decrypt_headers.php; (2) PHP_SELF; and (3) the query string (aka QUERY_STRING).
familyunix
idoval:org.mitre.oval:def:11624
statusaccepted
submitted2010-07-09T03:56:16-04:00
titleMultiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in SquirrelMail before 1.4.18 and NaSMail before 1.7 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving (1) certain encrypted strings in e-mail headers, related to contrib/decrypt_headers.php; (2) PHP_SELF; and (3) the query string (aka QUERY_STRING).
version27

Redhat

advisories
rhsa
idRHSA-2009:1066
rpms
  • squirrelmail-0:1.4.8-13.el3
  • squirrelmail-0:1.4.8-5.el4_8.5
  • squirrelmail-0:1.4.8-5.el5_3.7

References