Source: cve@mitre.org
The sendmail.jsp sample page in Oracle 9i Application Server (9iAS) allows remote attackers to send arbitrary emails.
Oracle 9i Application Server (9iAS) is vulnerable to a critical flaw in the sendmail.jsp sample page, allowing remote attackers to send arbitrary emails, potentially leading to phishing attacks, spam campaigns, and information leakage. This vulnerability can be easily exploited, posing a significant risk to affected systems and data integrity.
Step 1: Access the Vulnerable Page: The attacker identifies and accesses the sendmail.jsp page on a vulnerable Oracle 9iAS server. This is typically done via a web browser.
Step 2: Craft the Malicious Payload: The attacker constructs a malicious HTTP request, including crafted parameters for the email's recipient, sender, subject, and body. These parameters are designed to inject malicious content.
Step 3: Submit the Payload: The attacker submits the crafted HTTP request to the sendmail.jsp page.
Step 4: Email Generation: The sendmail.jsp page processes the attacker-supplied parameters and uses them to construct and send an email.
Step 5: Email Delivery: The Oracle 9iAS server, acting as a mail server, sends the crafted email to the specified recipient. The email contains the attacker's injected content.
The vulnerability stems from the sendmail.jsp page's lack of proper input validation and sanitization of user-supplied parameters, specifically the email recipient, sender, subject, and message body. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary content into the email headers and body. The underlying flaw is the direct use of user-controlled input within the email composition process, without adequate checks to prevent malicious manipulation. The lack of proper authentication or authorization further exacerbates the issue, enabling any remote user to exploit the vulnerability. This is a classic example of an input validation vulnerability leading to command injection.
This vulnerability could be exploited by various threat actors for phishing, spam, and reconnaissance. It could be used as an initial access vector for more sophisticated attacks. While no specific APT groups are directly linked to this specific CVE, the ease of exploitation makes it attractive for a wide range of attackers. Not listed in CISA KEV due to its age and the fact that it is not a widespread vulnerability.
Monitor web server logs (e.g., Apache access logs) for suspicious HTTP requests to sendmail.jsp with unusual parameters, especially those containing HTML tags, JavaScript, or other malicious payloads.
Analyze network traffic for outbound SMTP connections originating from the Oracle 9iAS server, particularly those with unusual sender addresses or subject lines.
Implement intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures specifically designed to detect exploitation attempts against the sendmail.jsp vulnerability. Look for patterns in the HTTP requests that match known exploit attempts.
Review email logs for suspicious emails originating from the Oracle 9iAS server, focusing on emails with unusual content or recipients.
The primary remediation is to upgrade to a supported version of Oracle Application Server. This is the most effective way to eliminate the vulnerability.
If upgrading is not immediately feasible, remove or disable the sendmail.jsp page from the server. This prevents attackers from accessing the vulnerable functionality.
Implement a web application firewall (WAF) to filter malicious HTTP requests before they reach the Oracle 9iAS server. Configure the WAF to block requests containing suspicious patterns or payloads.
Review and harden the Oracle 9iAS server's configuration, including disabling unnecessary services and restricting access to sensitive resources.
Implement input validation and output encoding to prevent injection attacks. This includes validating all user-supplied input and encoding output to prevent the execution of malicious code.
Regularly scan the server for vulnerabilities and apply security patches promptly.