CVE-2017-1714 in Notes
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Notes and Domino NSD 8.5 and 9.0 could allow an authenticated local user without adminstrative privileges to gain System privilege. IBM X-Force ID: 134633.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2021
This vulnerability resides in IBM Notes and Domino NSD versions 8.5 and 9.0, representing a privilege escalation flaw that allows authenticated local users to elevate their system privileges without administrative rights. The issue stems from inadequate access controls within the Notes and Domino server software, creating a pathway for malicious users to bypass normal security restrictions. The vulnerability specifically affects the NSD (Notes and Domino Support) component, which handles crash reporting and system diagnostics, making it a critical entry point for unauthorized privilege elevation.
The technical flaw manifests through improper privilege checking mechanisms within the NSD process execution environment. When a local user executes certain commands or accesses specific system resources through the Notes and Domino interface, the system fails to properly validate whether the requesting user possesses sufficient privileges for the requested operations. This weakness aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper privileges, and specifically relates to CWE-732, improper restriction of operations within a security domain. The vulnerability enables an authenticated user to escalate their privileges from standard user level to system level, effectively granting them complete control over the affected system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations relying on IBM Notes and Domino systems. The ability to gain system privileges without administrative access means that any authenticated user could potentially access sensitive data, modify system configurations, install malicious software, or compromise the integrity of the entire Notes and Domino infrastructure. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only local authentication, making it accessible to users who may have legitimate access to the system but should not possess administrative privileges. This scenario represents a classic privilege escalation attack pattern that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local exploitation.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and hotfixes that address this privilege escalation vulnerability. System administrators should also conduct comprehensive privilege reviews to ensure that only authorized personnel maintain administrative access levels. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual privilege escalation activities can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the critical need for proper access control mechanisms within enterprise collaboration platforms. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls and privilege monitoring solutions to prevent unauthorized privilege elevation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in controlled environments before deployment to production systems, ensuring that the security fixes do not introduce compatibility issues with existing Notes and Domino applications.