CVE-2012-3302 in Lotus Domino
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in IBM Lotus Domino 7.x and 8.x before 8.5.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) a URL accessed during use of the Mail template in the WebMail UI or (2) a URL accessed during use of Domino Help through the Domino HTTP server.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-3302 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting IBM Lotus Domino versions 7.x and 8.x prior to 8.5.4. This vulnerability exposes the webmail interface and help system components to malicious code injection attacks that can be executed remotely without authentication. The flaw specifically manifests in two distinct attack vectors within the Domino HTTP server implementation, making it particularly dangerous as it affects core functionality used by numerous enterprise users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Domino WebMail UI and Domino Help systems. When users navigate to specific URLs within these interfaces, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input parameters before incorporating them into dynamically generated web content. This lack of proper sanitization creates opportunities for attackers to inject malicious javascript payloads or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the trust relationship between the web server and client browsers to deliver malicious payloads.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments using Lotus Domino mail servers. Attackers can exploit these XSS flaws to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, deface web interfaces, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers can potentially escalate privileges or use the compromised sessions to access additional enterprise resources. The vulnerability affects both the mail template and help system components, meaning that any user accessing these interfaces could become compromised, creating a wide attack surface within organizations.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications. This classification indicates that the flaw represents a classic input validation failure where untrusted data enters the application without proper sanitization. Additionally, the vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering through malicious web content delivery. Organizations utilizing these Domino versions face increased risk of successful phishing campaigns and credential theft operations. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is amplified in environments where users frequently access the webmail interface or help systems, making it particularly dangerous in large enterprise deployments.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of IBM's security patches for versions 8.5.4 and later, which address the input validation issues in both the Mail template and Domino Help components. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious content, establish proper input sanitization policies for all web applications, and conduct regular security assessments of Domino configurations. Network segmentation and user access controls can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. Security teams should also consider implementing browser security policies such as content security policies and disabling unnecessary web features to reduce attack surface. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar issues in other web applications within the enterprise environment.