CVE-2000-0965 in VVOS
Summary
by MITRE
The NSAPI plugins for TGA and the Java Servlet proxy in HP-UX VVOS 10.24 and 11.04 allows an attacker to cause a denial of service (high CPU utilization).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0965 affects HP-UX VVOS versions 10.24 and 11.04, specifically targeting the NSAPI plugins for TGA and the Java Servlet proxy components. This issue represents a denial of service weakness that can be exploited to consume excessive system resources, leading to significant performance degradation and system unavailability. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of certain input parameters within the NSAPI plugin architecture, which governs how web servers process requests and interact with backend applications.
The technical flaw manifests when maliciously crafted requests are sent to the affected NSAPI plugins, causing the system to enter an infinite loop or excessive resource consumption patterns. The TGA plugin and Java Servlet proxy components fail to properly validate or sanitize incoming data, allowing attackers to manipulate the processing flow in a way that continuously consumes cpu cycles. This behavior aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes unchecked resource consumption as a fundamental weakness in software design. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer of the network stack, making it accessible through standard web traffic and requiring minimal specialized knowledge to exploit.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as sustained high cpu utilization can affect system stability and performance across multiple applications running on the same server. Network administrators may observe gradual system degradation followed by complete service unavailability, particularly in environments where the affected web server handles significant traffic loads. The attack vector is relatively simple, requiring only that an attacker send specific malformed requests to the vulnerable components, making this a potentially widespread threat in unpatched production environments. This weakness directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes resource exhaustion attacks targeting application layer services.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected HP-UX VVOS systems, as the vendor would have released security updates addressing the specific input validation issues within the NSAPI plugins. System administrators should implement network-level monitoring to detect unusual cpu utilization patterns and consider rate limiting for incoming requests to the affected components. Additionally, the implementation of proper input validation and sanitization measures within application code can provide defense-in-depth protection. Organizations should also review their web server configurations to ensure that unnecessary plugins remain disabled and that access controls are properly implemented to limit exposure to potential attackers. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect and respond to resource exhaustion attacks before they can cause significant operational disruption.