CVE-2019-12970 : What You Need to Know

A Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability was identified in SquirrelMail versions 1.4.22 and 1.5.x to 1.5.2. The vulnerability allows attackers to execute malicious scripts from HTML emails within the application context by bypassing the sanitization mechanism.

Understanding CVE-2019-12970

This CVE involves a security flaw in SquirrelMail versions 1.4.22 and 1.5.x to 1.5.2 that enables the execution of malicious scripts through HTML emails.

What is CVE-2019-12970?

CVE-2019-12970 is a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SquirrelMail versions 1.4.22 and 1.5.x to 1.5.2. It arises due to improper handling of certain elements, allowing attackers to inject and execute malicious scripts.

The Impact of CVE-2019-12970

The vulnerability enables attackers to execute malicious scripts within the application context, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, and other security breaches.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-12970

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The XSS vulnerability in SquirrelMail versions 1.4.22 and 1.5.x to 1.5.2 arises from the inadequate handling of RCDATA and RAWTEXT elements, allowing malicious script execution.

Affected Systems and Versions

SquirrelMail versions 1.4.22 and 1.5.x to 1.5.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating elements like NOEMBED, NOFRAMES, NOSCRIPT, or TEXTAREA to bypass the sanitization mechanism and execute malicious scripts.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-12970 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update SquirrelMail to a patched version that addresses the XSS vulnerability.
Educate users about the risks of opening HTML emails from unknown sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement content security policies to mitigate XSS attacks.
Regularly monitor and audit email content for suspicious scripts.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by SquirrelMail promptly to fix the XSS vulnerability.