Qualcomm WorldMail IMAP Server String Literal Processing Overflow Vulnerability iDefense Security Advisory 12.20.05 http://www.idefense.com/intelligence/vulnerabilities/display.php?id=359 December 20, 2005 I. BACKGROUND Qualcomm WorldMail is an email and messaging server designed for use in small to large enterprises that supports IMAP, POP3, SMTP, and web mail features. More information can be found on the vendors site: http://www.eudora.com/worldmail/ II. DESCRIPTION Remote exploitation of a buffer overflow vulnerability in Qualcomm WorldMail IMAP Server allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code. III. ANALYSIS Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. This leads to a total compromise of the mail server. In order to trigger this overflow, an attacker only needs to send a long string ending with a '}' character. This will result in a stack overflow and the attacker may use an SEH overwrite or a standard EBP or EIP overwrite in order to gain control of the process trivially. This is a pre-authentication vulnerability. To exploit this vulnerability an attacker would need to be able connect to the e-mail server and the IMAP module would have to be enabled (default). Only one command is required to trigger this vulnerability. IV. DETECTION This exploit was tested against Qualcomm Worldmail server version 3.0. Other versions may be vulnerable. V. WORKAROUND There is no workaround currently available except for disabling IMAP services. VI. VENDOR RESPONSE The vendor was contacted according to the timeline shown but a response has not yet been received. As this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed at an alternate location (http://seclists.org/lists/fulldisclosure/2005/Dec/1037.html) we are proceeding with public disclosure. VII. CVE INFORMATION The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project has assigned the name CAN-2005-4267 to this issue. This is a candidate for inclusion in the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org), which standardizes names for security problems. VIII. DISCLOSURE TIMELINE 12/15/2005 Initial vendor notification 12/20/2005 Coordinated public disclosure IX. CREDIT posidron (at) tripbit (dot) net [email concealed], an anonymous researcher and Nico are credited with the discovery of this vulnerability. Get paid for vulnerability research http://www.idefense.com/poi/teams/vcp.jsp Free tools, research and upcoming events http://labs.idefense.com X. LEGAL NOTICES Copyright © 2005 iDefense, Inc. Permission is granted for the redistribution of this alert electronically. It may not be edited in any way without the express written consent of iDefense. If you wish to reprint the whole or any part of this alert in any other medium other than electronically, please email customerservice (at) idefense (dot) com [email concealed] for permission. Disclaimer: The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this information.