CVE-2005-4819 in Lotus Domino
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Lotus Domino versions before 6.5.4 fix pack 1 (FP1) and versions before 7.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2017
The CVE-2005-4819 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting IBM Lotus Domino email and collaboration software across multiple version lines. This vulnerability specifically impacts Domino versions prior to 6.5.4 fix pack 1 and versions before 7.0, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this platform for business communication and data management. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information and system compromise.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Lotus Domino web interface components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets processed and displayed without proper sanitization, enabling the execution of malicious scripts when other users view the affected content. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 indicates it involves improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to hijack user sessions, steal authentication credentials, or redirect users to malicious websites. The attack vectors remain unspecified in the original description, which suggests the vulnerability may be present in multiple areas of the web application interface including form inputs, URL parameters, or response headers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that align with ATT&CK technique T1531 for use of web shell and T1071.3 for application layer protocol web protocols. Organizations utilizing Lotus Domino for internal communications, document management, or collaboration may experience unauthorized access to confidential business data, employee credentials, or sensitive corporate information. The vulnerability's presence in both the 6.5.x and 7.0 version streams indicates it was a fundamental flaw in the platform's security architecture rather than an isolated incident, affecting a substantial portion of deployed Domino installations during that period. This would have particularly impacted enterprises using Domino for customer relationship management, internal portals, or web-based applications where user interaction with potentially malicious content could occur.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4819 should prioritize immediate deployment of the vendor-provided security patches, specifically the 6.5.4 fix pack 1 and corresponding updates for version 7.0. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures, including strict sanitization of all user-supplied data before processing or display. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, though they are not substitutes for proper patch management. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their Domino environments, particularly focusing on web applications and forms that accept user input. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing applications while maintaining the integrity of business processes that depend on the Domino platform. Regular security monitoring and user education regarding suspicious web content can further reduce the attack surface and potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future.