CVE-2017-15042 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A flaw in Go versions before 1.8.4 and 1.9.x before 1.9.1 allows unintended exposure of cleartext information during SMTP transactions. This vulnerability arises from a change in the implementation of PLAIN authentication in Go, potentially leading to plaintext transmission of usernames and passwords.

Understanding CVE-2017-15042

This CVE highlights a security issue in Go versions prior to 1.8.4 and 1.9.x before 1.9.1, affecting the plaintext transmission of sensitive information during SMTP communication.

What is CVE-2017-15042?

The vulnerability in Go versions before 1.8.4 and 1.9.x before 1.9.1 allows for unintended exposure of cleartext information during SMTP transactions. This is due to a change in the PLAIN authentication implementation, enabling plaintext transmission of credentials.

The Impact of CVE-2017-15042

The impact of this vulnerability is the potential exposure of sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords, in plaintext format during SMTP communication. Attackers could exploit this weakness to intercept and misuse confidential data.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-15042

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in Go versions before 1.8.4 and 1.9.x before 1.9.1 allows for unintended exposure of cleartext information during SMTP transactions. The change in the PLAIN authentication implementation can lead to the transmission of usernames and passwords in plaintext.

Affected Systems and Versions

Go versions before 1.8.4
Go 1.9.x before 1.9.1

Exploitation Mechanism

If an SMTP server is configured as a man-in-the-middle without advertising STARTTLS but indicating that PLAIN authentication is permitted, the smtp.PlainAuth implementation in affected Go versions will unknowingly transmit the username and password in plaintext.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-15042 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update affected Go versions to 1.8.4 or 1.9.1 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid transmitting sensitive information over unsecured SMTP connections.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement encryption mechanisms like TLS for secure communication.
Regularly monitor and audit SMTP configurations to prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Go to address the vulnerability.