CVE-2004-2310 in Lotus Domino
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in webadmin.nsf in Lotus Domino R6 6.5.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a Domino command in the Quick Console.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-2310 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Lotus Domino web administration interface, specifically affecting version 6.5.1 of the software. This issue resides in the webadmin.nsf component which serves as the primary administrative console for managing Lotus Domino servers through web-based interfaces. The vulnerability manifests when the Quick Console functionality processes Domino commands without proper input sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied input that flows directly into web output without appropriate encoding or filtering mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a standard XSS attack pattern where remote attackers can inject malicious scripts through the Domino command parameter within the Quick Console interface. When a victim navigates to a compromised page or interacts with the vulnerable administrative console, the injected script executes in the victim's browser within the security context of their authenticated session. This presents a significant risk as the attacker could potentially access sensitive administrative functions, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. The vulnerability specifically impacts the web administration interface, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on Domino's web-based management capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the Domino administration environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw could gain access to administrative functions, potentially leading to complete server compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of services. The vulnerability affects organizations using Lotus Domino R6 6.5.1 who have web administration enabled, which was common in enterprise environments during that timeframe. Given that the flaw exists in the administrative interface, it provides attackers with elevated privileges that could be leveraged to perform actions such as creating new users, modifying existing accounts, accessing confidential data, or even installing malicious software on the server.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation to address this vulnerability, starting with immediate patching of affected systems to the latest available security updates from IBM. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the web administration interface to only authorized personnel. Input validation and output encoding should be strengthened throughout the application to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components. The use of web application firewalls and security monitoring tools can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, administrators should disable unnecessary web administration features and implement proper user access controls to minimize the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can lead to severe security consequences. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command injection and privilege escalation within web applications. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in administrative interfaces, where input validation and output encoding are critical defense mechanisms. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive security testing procedures including dynamic application security testing and secure code reviews to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their web applications and administrative interfaces.