CVE-2014-4757 in Content Collector
Summary
by MITRE
The Outlook Extension in IBM Content Collector 4.0.0.x before 4.0.0.0-ICC-OE-IF004 allows local users to bypass the intended Reviewer privilege requirement and read e-mail messages from an arbitrary mailbox by invoking the Search function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4757 affects IBM Content Collector version 4.0.0.x prior to 4.0.0.0-ICC-OE-IF004, specifically within its Outlook Extension component. This represents a significant security flaw that undermines the intended access controls and privilege management mechanisms within the content collection system. The vulnerability exists in the authentication and authorization framework that governs how users interact with email repositories through the Outlook integration interface.
The technical flaw manifests when local users exploit a weakness in the Search function implementation within the Outlook Extension. Rather than being restricted to the Reviewer privilege level as intended, authenticated users can bypass these access controls to read email messages from any mailbox within the system. This occurs because the extension fails to properly validate user permissions before executing search operations against email repositories. The vulnerability essentially allows privilege escalation from a restricted Reviewer role to full read access across arbitrary mailboxes, creating a critical exposure in the content collector's security model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it enables unauthorized information disclosure and potential data exfiltration. Local users who can access the Outlook Extension can retrieve sensitive email content from any mailbox without proper authorization, potentially exposing confidential business communications, personal data, or proprietary information. This vulnerability undermines the integrity of the content collector's access control system and could lead to compliance violations, data breaches, and reputational damage for organizations relying on IBM Content Collector for document management and archiving.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability maps to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing). The flaw represents a failure in privilege enforcement mechanisms and could be exploited as part of broader attack chains where initial access is gained through local system compromise, followed by privilege escalation to access restricted email content. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling and incident response planning, particularly in environments where email content is collected for legal hold, compliance, or archival purposes.
The recommended mitigation involves applying the vendor-provided patch or update 4.0.0.0-ICC-OE-IF004 which addresses the access control bypass in the Outlook Extension. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring for unusual search activities within the content collector environment, particularly searches targeting multiple or unusual mailboxes. Network segmentation and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit local user access to the content collector components. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other enterprise content management systems. Organizations should also review their email access policies and ensure proper user authentication and authorization controls are in place across all integrated systems to prevent similar privilege escalation scenarios.