CVE-2009-0306 in Lotus Notes Intellisync
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the IBM Lotus Notes Intellisync ActiveX control in lnresobject.dll in BlackBerry Desktop Manager in Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry Desktop Software before 5.0.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web page. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0306 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the IBM Lotus Notes Intellisync ActiveX control component of BlackBerry Desktop Manager software. This specific vulnerability resides in the lnresobject.dll library file and affects BlackBerry Desktop Software versions prior to 5.0.1 released by Research In Motion. The flaw manifests through a remote code execution vector that can be triggered via maliciously crafted web pages, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring local access or user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the ActiveX control implementation. When processing user-supplied data through the Intellisync component, the lnresobject.dll module fails to validate input lengths before copying data into fixed-size buffers. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the application does not properly verify that incoming data fits within allocated memory boundaries, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and executable code segments. The vulnerability specifically affects the handling of data structures passed through the ActiveX interface, which is commonly used for synchronization operations between BlackBerry devices and desktop computers.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations using affected BlackBerry Desktop Manager software. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain complete control over vulnerable systems, potentially leading to data breaches, privilege escalation, and persistent backdoor access. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not need physical access to target systems, making the vulnerability particularly attractive for large-scale attacks. Organizations with BlackBerry devices deployed in enterprise environments face heightened risk as the compromised desktop systems can serve as entry points for broader network infiltration. The vulnerability also impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of corporate data, as successful exploitation can result in unauthorized data access, system corruption, or complete system compromise.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability primarily involves immediate software updates and patches provided by Research In Motion to address the buffer overflow in the lnresobject.dll component. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to BlackBerry Desktop Manager version 5.0.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, network administrators should implement browser security measures such as disabling ActiveX controls in web browsers or restricting access to potentially malicious websites. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a typical example of how ActiveX controls can introduce security risks when not properly validated. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving exploitation of remote services and execution of malicious code through web-based attack vectors, specifically relating to T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) tactics used by threat actors. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's remote nature makes it difficult to prevent without proper patch management and access controls.