BlackBerry Enterprise Server can be compromised due to TIFF-processing vulnerabilities

BlackBerry has released details about two critical vulnerabilities that can allow attackers to access and execute code on systems running BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

The vulnerabilities exist in how the BlackBerry MDS Connection Service and the BlackBerry Messaging Agent process TIFF images for rendering on the BlackBerry smartphone.

To exploit the vulnerabilities in the former, the attacker must either create a specially crafted web page and then persuade the BlackBerry smartphone user to click a link to that web page, or provide the link to the user in an email or instant message.

To do the same in the latter, not actual user interaction is needed. The attacker must simply embed a specially crafted TIFF image in an email message or enterprise IM and send it to the user – no clicking on links, images, or viewing of the message is required by the user for the attack to succeed.

Affected versions are:

• BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express versions 5.0.2 to 5.0.4 for Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino
• BES versions 5.0.2 to 5.0.4 for Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino
• BES versions 5.0.1 and 5.0.4 for Novell Groupwise

BlackBerry is advising administrators of BES to update to version 5.0.4 MR2 or later, or to download and install the interim security update. Administrators of BES Express can do only the latter.