Dave,
Thanks for the info. Not a big deal, but it is odd. It's as though the first security measure is nerfed...
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Browse All TopicsWe have Outlook Web Access set up on a Windows 2003 server running Exchange 2003. The default page for the OWA site is OWALogon.asp, which we have customized to show our company logos, instructions for usage, etc. The default page also has two controls: a text box into which the user enters their mailbox name; and an OK button they click after entering their mailbox name. After the user submits the form, they are prompted for their domain credentials. After entering credentials, their mailbox is displayed.
During a recent addition of a user to our domain and testing of this user's OWA access, we noticed that we can enter anything we want into the mailbox name field and as long as the domain credentials are correct, the user is passed into their mailbox. For example, if the user's mailbox name is 'JDoe' and his domain account is 'JohnD', I can enter whatever I want into the mailbox name as long as I log in as JohnD. After I log in, mailbox JDoe is displayed.
In looking at this, we've noticed that the JavaScript in the page, shown below, only checks to ensure that the mailbox name is not blank. If blank, the page reloads. If not blank, the domain credentials dialog box is displayed. In essence, it appears that the mailbox simply isn't required and IIS resolves the username/password to the correct mailbox after the domain credentials are submitted.
Can anyone tell us if:
1) This is normal behavior; ie, the requirement of data entry into the mailbox name serves only as a weak security measure, supposedly to further deter unauthorized access?
2) OWALogon.asp is missing code that checks for a valid mailbox name?
3) We're possible missing a server update or have something configured incorrectly?
Please let us know if further information is required to diagnose the issue. Thanks.
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by: Dave_DietzPosted on 2009-01-21 at 21:54:58ID: 23436862
1) Yes
2) No
3) No
When you log in to OWA it (exprox.dll and/or davex.dll) do an LDAP lookup against the domain to determine where the user's mailbox is located and proxies (exprox.dll) or redirects (davex.dll) the client to the proper mailbox server. If davex.dll determines that the client is at the proper server then it acts as a MAPI client to the information store and serves up the users mail.
All in all, your installation is working exactly as designed. :-)
Dave Dietz