Lotus iNotes Client ActiveX Control Buffer Overrun (#NISR17022003c)

["NGSSoftware Insight Security Research" <nisr () nextgenss com>]

NGSSoftware Insight Security Research Advisory

Name:    Lotus iNotes Client ActiveX Control Buffer Overrun
Systems Affected:  Release 6.0
Severity:  Medium Risk
Category: Remote System Buffer Overrun
Vendor URL:   http://www.lotus.com
Author:   Mark Litchfield (mark () ngssoftware com)
Date:   17th February 2003
Advisory number: #NISR17022003e


Description
***********
Lotus Domino and Notes together provide a featured enterprise collaboration
system with Domino providing application server services. iNotes provides
web based messaging facilities. As well as having a server component there
exists a client ActiveX control.

Details
*******
When iNotes is installed there is an ActiveX control called Lotus Domino
Session ActiveX Control. By supplying an overly long value to the
"InitializeUsingNotesUserName" method of this control via an e-mail or web
page it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitary code on the target's
local machine. Any exploit code would execute in the security context of the
logged on user.

Fix Information
***************
NGSSoftware alerted IBM/Lotus to this issue on the 14th of January 2002. IBM
Lotus Notes and Domino Release 6.0.1 is now available and being marketed as
the first maintenance release.  IBM say if customers haven't already
upgraded or migrated to Notes and Domino 6, now is the time to move and
start reaping the benefits of this existing and highly praised release.
Release 6.0.1 includes fixes to enhance the quality and reliability of the
Notes and Domino 6 products.  It does not however mention any security
issues, and NGS would strongly advise to upgrade as soon as possible not to
just to "reap the benefits" but to secure the server and data against
possible attacks.

The upgrade / patch can be obtained from

http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/download/search.jsp?q=&cat=&pf=&k=&dt=&;
go=y&rs=ESD-NOTECLNTi&S_TACT=&S_CMP=&sb=r

A check for this issue has been added to DominoScan R2, a comprehensive
automated intelligent assessment tool for Lotus Domino Servers of which more
information is available from the NGSSite

http://www.ngssoftware.com/software/dominoscan.html

Further Information
*******************
For further information about the scope and effects of buffer overflows,
please see

http://www.ngssoftware.com/papers/non-stack-bo-windows.pdf
http://www.ngssoftware.com/papers/ntbufferoverflow.html
http://www.ngssoftware.com/papers/bufferoverflowpaper.rtf
http://www.ngssoftware.com/papers/unicodebo.pdf

About NGSSoftware
*****************
NGSSoftware design, research and develop intelligent, advanced application
security assessment scanners. Based in the United Kingdom, NGSSoftware have
offices in the South of London and the East Coast of Scotland. NGSSoftware's
sister company NGSConsulting, offers best of breed security consulting
services, specialising in application, host and network security
assessments.

http://www.ngssoftware.com/
http://www.ngsconsulting.com/

Telephone +44 208 401 0070
Fax +44 208 401 0076

enquiries () ngssoftware com