CVE-2008-2410 in Lotus Domino Web Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the servlet engine and Web container in the Web Server service in IBM Lotus Domino before 7.0.3 FP1, and 8.x before 8.0.1, allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2019
The CVE-2008-2410 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Lotus Domino's web server service components. This vulnerability exists in the servlet engine and web container functionality that processes HTTP requests and generates dynamic web content. The flaw affects versions prior to 7.0.3 Fix Pack 1 and 8.0.1, making it a significant concern for organizations running these older versions of the Domino email and collaboration platform. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Web Server service component, which handles web-based interactions and serves content to users through standard web browsers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Domino web processing pipeline. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that contain script code or HTML elements, which then get executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access affected web pages. The vulnerability occurs during the processing of unspecified vectors, suggesting that multiple entry points within the web container could be leveraged for exploitation. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it may be exploitable through various attack vectors including form submissions, URL parameters, or other web input mechanisms that flow through the servlet engine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code in the browser context of other users. This means that an attacker who has legitimate authentication credentials to access the Domino server can potentially compromise other users' sessions and extract sensitive information, perform unauthorized actions, or redirect users to malicious websites. The authentication requirement reduces the attack surface compared to fully unauthenticated vulnerabilities, but still represents a significant security risk in environments where user credentials might be compromised or where privilege escalation attacks are possible. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of web applications hosted on affected Domino servers.
Organizations should immediately apply the relevant fix packs to address this vulnerability, specifically upgrading to IBM Lotus Domino 7.0.3 Fix Pack 1 or 8.0.1, depending on their current version. System administrators should also implement additional security measures such as input validation and output encoding at the application level, web application firewalls, and monitoring for suspicious user activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for initial access through web application attacks. Organizations should also review their access controls and authentication mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can exploit this vulnerability, as the authentication requirement does not eliminate the risk entirely but rather changes the attack model. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in web applications and ensure proper security controls are in place to prevent exploitation.