CVE-2001-0106 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in inetd server in HP-UX 11.04 and earlier allows attackers to cause a denial of service when the "swait" state is used by a server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0106 represents a significant denial of service weakness within the inetd super server implementation on HP-UX operating systems version 11.04 and earlier. This flaw specifically manifests when servers utilize the "swait" state configuration, creating a condition where malicious actors can exploit the service management mechanism to disrupt normal system operations. The inetd server serves as a central daemon that listens for incoming network connections and launches appropriate services based on configuration parameters, making it a critical component in system security infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of the swait state within the inetd server's process management logic. When a server is configured to use swait state, it indicates that the server process should wait for a specific condition before proceeding with connection handling. Attackers can manipulate this behavior by sending carefully crafted network requests that trigger the server into an infinite wait state or cause it to consume excessive system resources. This condition effectively prevents legitimate network services from being properly handled, as the inetd server becomes unresponsive to new connection requests. The flaw operates at the protocol level where the server's state machine fails to properly validate or handle certain input conditions that should normally be rejected or processed gracefully.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise system availability and reliability. In enterprise environments where HP-UX systems serve critical network services, such as file sharing, remote access, or database connectivity, a successful exploitation could result in extended downtime and business disruption. The vulnerability affects the fundamental network service delivery mechanism, meaning that multiple services running through inetd could be simultaneously impacted, amplifying the overall system impact. Security analysts should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes it as an Uncontrolled Resource Consumption issue, where the system's resources become exhausted due to improper state management during service handling.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-0106 should prioritize immediate system updates and patches provided by HP, as the vulnerability stems from a core operating system component. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to the affected inetd services, particularly those configured with swait state. System administrators should conduct thorough audits of inetd configurations to identify and modify any servers using the problematic swait state parameter. Additionally, monitoring and alerting systems should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in service availability that might indicate exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1499, which covers Network Denial of Service attacks, making it a critical target for defensive security operations centers. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include verification of inetd configurations to prevent exploitation of this persistent weakness in legacy HP-UX installations.