CVE-2000-0023 in Domino Server
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Lotus Domino HTTP server allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a long URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0023 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Lotus Domino HTTP server implementation that was prevalent in the early 2000s. This security weakness specifically affects the web server component of IBM Lotus Domino, a collaborative software platform widely used for email, calendaring, and business applications. The flaw manifests when the server processes HTTP requests containing excessively long URLs, creating a condition where memory buffers are exceeded beyond their allocated limits. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a fundamental memory safety issue in software development practices. The attack vector involves remote exploitation where malicious actors can craft specially formatted URLs that trigger the buffer overflow condition without requiring any authentication or prior access to the system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTTP request parameters, specifically targeting the URL parsing mechanism within the Lotus Domino server. When a malformed URL containing excessive character sequences is submitted to the vulnerable server, the application fails to properly validate the input length before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers. This failure results in memory corruption that can cause the web server process to crash or become unresponsive, effectively rendering the service unavailable to legitimate users. The buffer overflow condition typically manifests as a segmentation fault or access violation that terminates the HTTP server process, creating a denial of service scenario that can be easily executed by any remote attacker with knowledge of the target system's network address. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that the attack requires minimal privileges and can be performed from any location on the internet.
The operational consequences of CVE-2000-0023 extend beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the overall availability and integrity of business communications systems that rely on Lotus Domino. Organizations utilizing this software platform faced significant risks including extended downtime, loss of productivity, and potential data accessibility issues during attack windows. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers could exploit it without physical access to the network or system, making it particularly dangerous for enterprises that depend on continuous email and collaboration services. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which involves network denial of service attacks targeting web services. The impact on business operations was substantial as many organizations experienced service interruptions that could last from minutes to hours depending on the recovery procedures implemented. Security professionals noted that the vulnerability highlighted critical gaps in input validation and memory management practices within enterprise software applications, particularly those developed before comprehensive security standards were widely adopted.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patching of the Lotus Domino server software through official IBM security updates that addressed the buffer overflow condition in the HTTP handling components. Organizations were advised to implement network-level protections including firewall rules that could limit URL length or filter suspicious HTTP requests, though these measures were considered temporary workarounds rather than permanent solutions. The incident underscored the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation in preventing remote exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. System administrators were encouraged to monitor their web server logs for unusual URL patterns and implement intrusion detection systems that could identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also prompted broader industry discussions about secure coding practices and the necessity of implementing robust buffer management techniques in enterprise applications, contributing to the evolution of security standards that would later influence modern software development methodologies and security frameworks.