CVE-2010-2278 in Lotus Connections
Summary
by MITRE
The bookmarklet pop-up in the Bookmarks component in IBM Lotus Connections 2.5.x before 2.5.0.2 does not properly follow the "force SSL" setting, which might make it easier for remote attackers to obtain the cleartext of network communication by sniffing the network, or spoof arbitrary servers via a man-in-the-middle attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-2278 affects IBM Lotus Connections 2.5.x versions prior to 2.5.0.2, specifically within the Bookmarks component's bookmarklet pop-up functionality. This issue represents a critical security flaw that undermines the application's intended security posture by failing to enforce secure communication protocols. The vulnerability resides in the bookmarklet implementation that is designed to allow users to quickly save web content to their bookmarks within the Lotus Connections environment. When users interact with the bookmarklet pop-up, the system should enforce SSL encryption as configured by the administrator, but this enforcement mechanism is bypassed in vulnerable versions.
The technical flaw manifests in the bookmarklet pop-up's failure to respect the "force SSL" configuration setting that administrators can implement within IBM Lotus Connections. This configuration is intended to ensure that all communications between the client and server occur over encrypted SSL/TLS channels. However, the bookmarklet pop-up component ignores this security directive and may attempt to establish connections using unencrypted HTTP protocols instead of the required HTTPS. This behavior creates a significant security gap that allows attackers to exploit the communication channel between the user's browser and the Lotus Connections server. The vulnerability specifically enables man-in-the-middle attacks by allowing attackers to intercept and potentially modify network traffic that should remain encrypted, as well as to perform credential sniffing operations against cleartext communications.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes organizations using IBM Lotus Connections 2.5.x to several security risks that can compromise sensitive data and system integrity. The ability to sniff network communications means that attackers can capture authentication tokens, session identifiers, and other sensitive information transmitted between users and the Lotus Connections server. This exposure is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Lotus Connections is used for collaborative work and document sharing. The vulnerability also enables server spoofing attacks, where malicious actors can present fake server certificates to users, potentially redirecting them to malicious sites or intercepting their communications. This type of attack can lead to unauthorized access to corporate data, credential theft, and potential lateral movement within the network. The impact extends beyond immediate data compromise to include potential regulatory compliance violations and damage to organizational reputation due to security breaches.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-319, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information via network transmission, and represents a specific instance of insecure communication handling. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access through network sniffing and man-in-the-middle attacks, specifically T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for phishing with social engineering. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch for IBM Lotus Connections 2.5.0.2, which resolves the SSL enforcement issue. Additionally, administrators should conduct security audits to ensure that all components within Lotus Connections properly enforce SSL requirements, and consider implementing additional network-level protections such as SSL inspection and monitoring for anomalous traffic patterns. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper SSL enforcement across all application components, particularly those that handle user interactions and data transmission.