CVE-2005-1441 in Lotus Domino
Summary
by MITRE
Format string vulnerability in Lotus Domino 6.0.x before 6.0.5 and 6.5.x before 6.5.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via the Notes protocol (NRPC).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1441 represents a critical format string flaw within IBM Lotus Domino email and collaboration server software. This security weakness affects versions 6.0.x prior to 6.0.5 and 6.5.x prior to 6.5.4, specifically within the Notes Remote Procedure Call (NRPC) protocol implementation. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and handling of format specifiers in the server's processing of remote procedure calls, creating an avenue for malicious exploitation that can be leveraged by remote attackers without authentication requirements.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the Lotus Domino server processes incoming NRPC requests that contain malformed format string parameters. When the server attempts to process these strings without proper sanitization, it can lead to unpredictable behavior including stack corruption, memory access violations, and ultimately system crashes or restarts. The flaw operates at the application layer and exploits the server's insufficient validation of user-supplied data during protocol handling, particularly when processing Notes protocol communications. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-134 classification for format string vulnerabilities, which are categorized as weaknesses in software that allows attackers to control format string arguments to functions like printf, sprintf, or related functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it can be exploited to disrupt critical business communications and collaboration services. Organizations relying on Lotus Domino servers for email, calendaring, and document management would face significant operational disruption when attackers leverage this vulnerability to cause system outages. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this weakness from outside the organization's network, making it particularly dangerous for enterprises with exposed Domino servers. The vulnerability can be triggered through normal protocol operations, requiring minimal privileged access or specialized tools, which increases the likelihood of successful exploitation in real-world scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1441 should prioritize immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches and updates, specifically the cumulative fix releases for Lotus Domino 6.0.5 and 6.5.4. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit exposure of Domino servers to untrusted networks and consider firewall rules that restrict NRPC protocol traffic to trusted sources only. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1499 for network denial of service and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage in exploitation scenarios. Additional defensive measures include implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious NRPC traffic patterns and establishing robust monitoring protocols to detect service disruptions that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of vulnerable software versions within the organization's infrastructure.