# CVE-2011-1901: Auth bypass in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication in the mail-filter web interface of Proofpoint Messaging Security Gateway and Protection Server.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 May 2011
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9v8c-75h5-qqr6

## What is CVE-2011-1901?

CVE-2011-1901 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 May 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The mail-filter web interface in Proofpoint Messaging Security Gateway 6.2.0.263:6.2.0.237 and earlier in Proofpoint Protection Server 5.5.3, 5.5.4, 5.5.5, 6.0.2, 6.1.1, and 6.2.0 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via unspecified vectors.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-1901?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Proofpoint Messaging Security Gateway, Proofpoint Protection Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-1901?

No fix has been published for CVE-2011-1901 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2011-1901 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-1901 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2011-1903](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1903/): SQL injection in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2011-1904](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1904/): Command injection in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2011-1905](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1905/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2011-1902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1902/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 5.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-1901 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-1901 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 May 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-1901 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1901/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1901/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-1901
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-1901
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-1901

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1901/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.