CVE-2013-4065 in iNotes
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in iNotes in IBM Domino 8.5.x before 8.5.3 FP6 and 9.0.x before 9.0.1, when ultra-light mode is enabled, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via active content in an e-mail message, aka SPR TCLE98ZKRP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4065 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Domino's iNotes email client component. This security weakness specifically affects versions 8.5.x prior to 8.5.3 FP6 and 9.0.x prior to 9.0.1, creating a significant attack surface when the ultra-light mode functionality is enabled. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through email messages containing active content, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the iNotes email processing pipeline. When ultra-light mode is activated, the system processes email content with reduced security restrictions, allowing malicious payloads embedded in email messages to bypass normal sanitization procedures. This weakness manifests when the email client renders active content from untrusted sources without proper sanitization, creating an environment where attacker-controlled scripts can execute within the context of authenticated user sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables sophisticated attack vectors including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Attackers can craft malicious email messages that, when viewed by victims using vulnerable iNotes implementations, automatically execute malicious scripts that can capture user credentials, redirect traffic to phishing sites, or establish persistent backdoors. The ultra-light mode configuration acts as a critical enabler for this attack, as it reduces the security boundaries that would normally prevent such malicious content from executing.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where users frequently access email through iNotes with ultra-light mode enabled. The attack requires minimal user interaction beyond viewing the malicious email message, making it particularly dangerous in corporate environments where email remains a primary communication channel. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 for spearphishing attacks and T1071 for application layer protocol usage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-4065 primarily focus on applying the vendor-provided security fixes, specifically IBM Domino 8.5.3 FP6 and 9.0.1 updates. Organizations should also consider disabling ultra-light mode for iNotes when possible, as this configuration significantly reduces the attack surface. Additional protective measures include implementing email filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious content patterns, establishing user education programs about recognizing potentially malicious email content, and deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter incoming requests. Network segmentation and privilege separation can further limit the potential impact should an attacker successfully exploit this vulnerability.