CVE-2010-4547 in Lotus Notes Traveler
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Lotus Notes Traveler before 8.5.1.3, when a multidomain environment is used, does not properly apply policy documents to mobile users from a different Domino domain than the Traveler server, which allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions by using credentials from a different domain.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4547 affects IBM Lotus Notes Traveler versions prior to 8.5.1.3 in multidomain environments where proper access control enforcement fails between different Domino domains. This security flaw represents a significant authorization bypass issue that undermines the fundamental security model of the Traveler server implementation. The vulnerability specifically manifests when mobile users from domains other than the Traveler server domain attempt to access resources, creating a scenario where policy enforcement mechanisms are circumvented through credential manipulation.
The technical flaw stems from improper policy application mechanisms within the Traveler server's authentication and authorization framework. When multiple Domino domains are configured in a multidomain environment, the system should enforce domain-specific policies and access controls to prevent cross-domain privilege escalation. However, the vulnerability allows authenticated users to bypass these domain-specific restrictions by leveraging credentials from different domains, effectively undermining the security boundaries established between separate Domino domains. This issue is particularly concerning because it operates at the policy enforcement layer where access controls should be rigorously enforced based on domain membership and user authentication context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple access control bypass to potentially enable unauthorized data access and information disclosure across domain boundaries. Remote authenticated users who can successfully exploit this vulnerability gain the ability to access resources and data that should be restricted to users within their own domain, creating a potential pathway for lateral movement and privilege escalation within the enterprise environment. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on multidomain configurations for security isolation between different business units, departments, or partner organizations, making it particularly dangerous in complex enterprise architectures where domain separation is critical for maintaining information security boundaries.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically addressing improper access control enforcement in multi-domain environments where authentication context is not properly validated against domain policies. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it allows attackers to leverage legitimate credentials from different domains to gain unauthorized access to resources. Organizations implementing IBM Lotus Notes Traveler in multidomain configurations should prioritize this vulnerability remediation, as it creates persistent access control weaknesses that can be exploited by both internal and external threat actors with valid authentication credentials. The recommended mitigation involves upgrading to IBM Lotus Notes Traveler 8.5.1.3 or later versions that contain proper policy enforcement mechanisms for multidomain environments, along with implementing additional monitoring and access control validation measures to detect potential exploitation attempts.