CVE-2007-0068 in Lotus Domino
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Lotus Domino 7.0.x before 7.0.3 does not revalidate the signature on a signed scheduled agent after the agent is modified, which allows remote authenticated users to gain privileges via a modified agent in a server database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0068 affects IBM Lotus Domino 7.0.x versions prior to 7.0.3, representing a critical security flaw in the email and collaboration platform's agent validation mechanism. This issue stems from insufficient signature revalidation processes that occur when scheduled agents are modified within the server database, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by authenticated attackers. The flaw specifically impacts the integrity checking system that should verify the authenticity of signed agents before execution, allowing malicious actors to manipulate agent code while maintaining the original digital signature.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the failure of the Domino server to perform proper cryptographic verification when an agent's content is altered after initial signing. When an agent is first created and signed, the system generates a digital signature that should be validated each time the agent executes. However, the vulnerability allows attackers to modify the agent's code while preserving the original signature, effectively bypassing the integrity protection mechanisms. This represents a fundamental flaw in the software's trust model where the system assumes that a valid signature indicates unchanged code, without implementing proper verification of the actual content against the signature.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges within the Domino server environment. Attackers can modify scheduled agents to include malicious payloads, such as code that extracts sensitive data, modifies database contents, or establishes backdoor access points. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where scheduled agents are used for automated tasks, system maintenance, or data processing, as these agents often run with elevated privileges and have access to sensitive server resources. The implications include potential data breaches, system compromise, and unauthorized access to confidential information stored within Domino databases.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to IBM Lotus Domino 7.0.3 or later versions where the signature validation issue has been addressed. The fix involves implementing proper signature revalidation mechanisms that verify the agent's content against its digital signature each time the agent is executed, regardless of whether modifications have occurred. Security administrators should also implement additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized agent modifications and establish stricter access controls for agent management functions. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-347, which addresses improper validation of cryptographic signatures, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution through scheduled tasks, highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls in automated execution environments.