CVE-2005-2619 in Lotus Notes
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in kvarcve.dll in Autonomy (formerly Verity) KeyView SDK before 9.2.0, as used in Lotus Notes 6.5.4 and 7.0, allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary files via a (1) ZIP, (2) UUE or (3) TAR archive that contains a .. (dot dot) in the filename, which is not properly handled when generating a preview.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2619 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Autonomy KeyView SDK component, specifically affecting the kvarcve.dll library. This vulnerability manifests in versions prior to 9.2.0 and particularly impacts IBM Lotus Notes 6.5.4 and 7.0 deployments. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and path handling mechanisms within the archive processing functionality that governs how file previews are generated. When processing compressed archives containing maliciously crafted filenames with double dots or dot dot sequences, the system fails to properly sanitize these paths, creating an opportunity for unauthorized file system manipulation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of archive formats including ZIP, UUE, and TAR file types. Attackers can craft malicious archives containing filenames that include .. (dot dot) sequences, which when processed by the vulnerable KeyView SDK component result in improper path resolution. This flaw allows attackers to traverse the file system hierarchy beyond the intended boundaries of the archive processing directory, ultimately enabling arbitrary file deletion operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the preview generation functionality, where the system attempts to create visual representations of archive contents while simultaneously failing to validate the integrity of the file paths contained within these archives.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly beyond simple file deletion capabilities, as it represents a fundamental failure in input sanitization and access control mechanisms. Organizations utilizing affected versions of Lotus Notes face potential data loss, system compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive information stored on the affected systems. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require local system access to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where Lotus Notes servers may be exposed to untrusted inputs from external sources. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several ATT&CK framework techniques, particularly those related to privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to delete critical system files, potentially disrupting normal operations or creating backdoor access points. The vulnerability's presence in the preview generation functionality means that even simple document viewing operations could serve as attack vectors, making detection and prevention challenging. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive input validation controls, access restriction mechanisms, and regular security updates to address this exposure. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices in third-party components and the need for thorough security assessments of integrated software libraries. Remediation efforts must include immediate patching of the affected KeyView SDK to version 9.2.0 or later, along with network segmentation and monitoring of archive processing activities to prevent exploitation attempts.