CVE-2014-0822 in Domino
Summary
by MITRE
The IMAP server in IBM Domino 8.5.x before 8.5.3 FP6 IF1 and 9.0.x before 9.0.1 FP1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via unspecified vectors, aka SPR KLYH9F4S2Z.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0822 represents a critical denial of service flaw within IBM Domino's IMAP server implementation. This weakness affects versions 8.5.x prior to 8.5.3 FP6 IF1 and 9.0.x prior to 9.0.1 FP1, creating a significant operational risk for organizations relying on IBM Domino email infrastructure. The vulnerability manifests as a daemon crash that can be triggered remotely by attackers without requiring authentication or specialized privileges. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the availability of email services and can result in extended downtime for critical business communications. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests multiple potential pathways through which an attacker could exploit this weakness, making it particularly concerning for security teams who must consider various attack surface possibilities.
The technical implementation flaw likely resides in the IMAP server's handling of incoming network requests or message processing logic. When exploited, the vulnerability causes the Domino daemon process to terminate unexpectedly, resulting in a complete service outage for IMAP clients. This behavior aligns with CWE-119, which describes weaknesses in memory handling that can lead to crashes or unexpected program termination. The daemon crash represents a fundamental failure in the server's error handling mechanisms, where malformed or specially crafted IMAP requests cause the process to become unstable and eventually terminate. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger the denial of service from outside the network perimeter, potentially through internet-facing email servers.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents substantial business impact as it can disrupt email communications across an organization. The IMAP service is critical for mobile devices, email clients, and remote workers who depend on accessing corporate email through standard email protocols. When the daemon crashes, users experience complete loss of email access until the service is manually restarted or the system automatically recovers. This disruption can occur at any time, potentially during critical business hours, leading to productivity losses and potential revenue impact. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to conduct sustained denial of service attacks that could keep the service unavailable for extended periods, effectively disabling email communications for affected organizations.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by applying the relevant IBM Domino fixes, specifically the FP6 IF1 patch for 8.5.x versions and FP1 for 9.0.x versions. Security teams should implement network monitoring to detect unusual patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, including monitoring for repeated connection failures or unusual IMAP traffic patterns. The vulnerability's classification as a remote denial of service aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks. Additionally, implementing proper network segmentation can help limit the impact if exploitation occurs, while maintaining redundant email services can provide alternative communication channels during remediation periods. Organizations should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious IMAP traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.