CVE-2007-5701 in Lotus Domino
Summary
by MITRE
Incomplete blacklist vulnerability in the Certificate Authority (CA) in IBM Lotus Domino before 7.0.3 allows local users, or attackers with physical access, to obtain sensitive information (passwords) when an administrator enters a "ca activate" or "ca unlock" command with any uppercase character, which bypasses a blacklist designed to suppress password logging, resulting in cleartext password disclosure in the console log and Admin panel.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-5701 represents a critical security flaw in IBM Lotus Domino's Certificate Authority implementation prior to version 7.0.3. This issue stems from an incomplete blacklist mechanism that fails to properly validate input characters during sensitive administrative operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the ca activate and ca unlock commands where the system should prevent logging of sensitive information but instead allows cleartext passwords to be displayed in console logs and administrative interfaces. The flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input validation and output sanitization, creating an information disclosure risk that can be exploited by local users or those with physical access to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the certificate authority's command processing logic where uppercase characters are not properly filtered from password inputs during administrative operations. When administrators execute ca activate or ca unlock commands, the system should suppress password logging to prevent sensitive information exposure. However, the incomplete blacklist fails to account for uppercase characters, allowing these characters to bypass the intended security controls. This design flaw results in the system treating uppercase characters differently than lowercase ones, effectively circumventing the intended protection mechanism. The vulnerability operates at the application level and demonstrates weaknesses in IBM Lotus Domino's security architecture, particularly in how it handles sensitive data processing and logging.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations using affected versions of IBM Lotus Domino. Attackers with local access or physical access to the system can exploit this flaw to capture cleartext passwords from console logs and administrative panels, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive systems. The vulnerability essentially undermines the security controls designed to protect administrative credentials, which are critical for maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized access. The information disclosure occurs in real-time during administrative operations, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited immediately when administrators perform routine maintenance tasks. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of the system's security controls, as it allows attackers to obtain credentials that should remain protected.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to IBM Lotus Domino version 7.0.3 or later, which contains the patched blacklist implementation. System administrators should also review and audit console logs for any instances of password disclosure that may have occurred prior to the patch deployment. Additional security measures include implementing strict access controls to prevent unauthorized physical access to systems, monitoring administrative operations for suspicious activities, and ensuring that all administrative commands are executed in secure environments. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation," and relates to ATT&CK techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing additional logging and monitoring controls to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain audit trails of administrative activities.