CVE-2004-0669 in Lotus Domino
Summary
by MITRE
Lotus Domino 6.5.0 and 6.5.1, with IMAP enabled, allows remote authenticated users to change their quota by using the IMAP setquota command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/28/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0669 represents a significant access control flaw in IBM Lotus Domino email server versions 6.5.0 and 6.5.1 when IMAP protocol support is enabled. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and authorization checks within the IMAP implementation, specifically affecting the setquota command functionality that should be restricted to administrative users only. The flaw allows authenticated users to manipulate their storage quotas through legitimate IMAP connections, potentially enabling them to exceed normal storage limits or circumvent resource management policies established by system administrators.
This vulnerability operates at the application layer protocol level where the IMAP server fails to properly validate user permissions before executing quota modification commands. The technical implementation flaw occurs when the server processes the setquota command without verifying whether the authenticated user possesses the necessary administrative privileges to alter storage limits for any user account. The lack of proper authorization checking creates a privilege escalation vector where regular users can essentially elevate their storage capacity beyond defined limits, effectively bypassing the server's resource management controls that are fundamental to preventing denial-of-service conditions and ensuring fair resource distribution among users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple quota manipulation to potentially compromise system stability and resource availability. When authenticated users can increase their storage quotas arbitrarily, they may consume disproportionate amounts of server resources, leading to performance degradation or complete service unavailability for other users. This vulnerability directly affects the principle of least privilege and can be exploited to create denial-of-service scenarios by consuming excessive storage space or to gain unauthorized access to additional resources that should be restricted. The vulnerability also represents a failure in the principle of separation of duties, as normal users should not possess the ability to modify resource allocation policies that are typically restricted to system administrators.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control issues, and can be categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework as privilege escalation through protocol manipulation. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and authorization enforcement mechanisms that are critical for maintaining secure application behavior. Organizations utilizing Lotus Domino 6.5.0 and 6.5.1 with IMAP enabled should immediately implement the vendor-provided security patches or updates that address this authorization flaw. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network-level access controls to limit IMAP access to trusted networks and regularly audit user quota settings to detect unauthorized modifications. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper authentication and authorization checking in network protocols and highlights the need for regular security assessments of enterprise email systems to identify similar implementation flaws that could compromise system integrity and availability.