CVE-1999-0772 in Insight Management Agent
Summary
by MITRE
Denial of service in Compaq Management Agents and the Compaq Survey Utility via a long string sent to port 2301.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-1999-0772 represents a classic denial of service flaw affecting Compaq management agents and the Compaq Survey Utility software. This issue manifests when malformed input data is transmitted to port 2301, which serves as the primary communication channel for these management utilities. The vulnerability specifically targets the input validation mechanisms within the Compaq management software stack, where insufficient bounds checking allows maliciously crafted data to disrupt normal system operations. The affected systems typically include various Compaq server and workstation platforms that utilize these management agents for system monitoring and configuration tasks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on sending an excessively long string to the designated port 2301, which causes the receiving process to crash or become unresponsive. This occurs because the software lacks proper input length validation and buffer management controls, allowing the oversized data to overwrite memory segments or trigger abnormal termination sequences. The flaw essentially represents a buffer overflow condition that can be exploited through network-based attacks, as the management agents typically operate in network-accessible modes to facilitate remote monitoring capabilities. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects critical system management functions that organizations rely upon for maintaining operational continuity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the availability of system monitoring and management capabilities that are essential for IT operations. When the Compaq Management Agents or Survey Utility become unavailable, system administrators lose visibility into critical hardware and software configurations, potentially leading to extended downtime during incident response activities. The vulnerability affects the broader Compaq ecosystem including servers, workstations, and various management platforms, making it a significant concern for organizations with large Compaq infrastructure deployments. This denial of service condition can be particularly damaging in enterprise environments where system availability is paramount for business operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including network segmentation to restrict access to port 2301, deployment of network access control lists to limit connections to trusted sources, and application-level input validation to prevent malformed data processing. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions in stack-based buffers, and represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation can lead to system instability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service, demonstrating how attackers can exploit management protocols to disrupt system availability. Regular patch management and software updates should be prioritized to address this vulnerability, while organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious traffic patterns targeting port 2301. The remediation process requires careful coordination between system administrators and security teams to ensure that management functions remain available while addressing the underlying buffer handling issues in the affected software components.