CVE-2008-4505 in Lotus Quickr
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in IBM Lotus Quickr 8.1 before Fix pack 1 (8.1.0.1) might allow attackers to cause a denial of service (system crash) via a "nonstandard URL argument" to the OpenDocument command. NOTE: due to lack of details from the vendor, it is not clear whether this is a vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4505 affects IBM Lotus Quickr 8.1 prior to Fix pack 1, representing a potential denial of service condition that could compromise system stability. This issue manifests through a specific attack vector involving nonstandard URL arguments directed to the OpenDocument command within the Lotus Quickr application framework. The vulnerability classification as unspecified reflects the limited information available from IBM regarding the precise technical mechanisms that enable this attack scenario, creating uncertainty around the true scope and exploitability of the weakness.
The technical flaw appears to stem from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the OpenDocument command processing functionality of Lotus Quickr 8.1. When malformed or unexpected URL arguments are submitted to this command, the system fails to properly handle the unexpected input, potentially leading to system instability and crash conditions. This type of vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses where insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data can result in unpredictable behavior within application processing pipelines. The vulnerability could be categorized under CWE-20, which encompasses Improper Input Validation, as the system does not adequately validate the format and content of URL arguments before processing them through the OpenDocument command.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on IBM Lotus Quickr 8.1 for collaborative document management and web content delivery. The potential for denial of service attacks could disrupt business operations, particularly in environments where Quickr serves as a critical platform for document sharing and collaboration. Attackers could exploit this weakness to repeatedly crash system components, potentially causing extended downtime and productivity losses. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service interruption as it could also serve as a precursor to more sophisticated attacks targeting the underlying system infrastructure. Organizations utilizing this version of Lotus Quickr would face operational challenges in maintaining service availability and could experience reputational damage from service disruptions.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability primarily involves applying the available fix pack 1 from IBM, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation shortcomings in the OpenDocument command. System administrators should prioritize deployment of this update across all affected installations to eliminate the risk of exploitation. Additionally, organizations should implement network-level monitoring to detect unusual URL access patterns that might indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. While the exact nature of the vulnerability remains partially unclear due to vendor information limitations, the recommended approach remains focused on applying the vendor-provided security patches as the most effective defense mechanism. Organizations should also consider implementing application firewalls or web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious URL arguments before they reach the vulnerable OpenDocument command processing components. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under the T1499 category for Network Denial of Service, as it enables attackers to disrupt network services through system crash conditions.