CVE-2001-0134 in Management Agent
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in cpqlogin.htm in web-enabled agents for various Compaq management software products such as Insight Manager and Management Agents allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a long user name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0134 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the cpqlogin.htm component of Compaq's web-enabled management software agents. This issue affects multiple Compaq products including Insight Manager and various Management Agents, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these systems for infrastructure monitoring and management. The flaw exists in the handling of user authentication requests through the web interface, where the software fails to properly validate input length before processing user credentials. This particular vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker submits a maliciously crafted user name string that exceeds the allocated buffer size in the cpqlogin.htm web page handler. When the web agent processes this oversized input without proper bounds checking, it overflows the allocated memory space and can overwrite critical program execution data including return addresses and function pointers. This memory corruption enables attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the web server process, which typically runs with elevated system permissions. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication mechanism of Compaq's management software, making it particularly dangerous as successful exploitation could provide unauthorized access to critical infrastructure monitoring systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential complete system compromise and data breach scenarios. Organizations utilizing affected Compaq management software products face risks including unauthorized system control, data exfiltration, and disruption of critical monitoring services. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent backdoors within network infrastructure, potentially compromising multiple systems managed through the same monitoring platform. The web-based nature of the vulnerability means that exploitation can occur from any location with internet access, making it particularly attractive to remote attackers. This vulnerability directly aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1210 technique for exploiting buffer overflows in web applications, and represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation can lead to privilege escalation and system compromise.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying available vendor patches, implementing network segmentation to restrict access to affected web interfaces, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and memory safety practices in web application development, highlighting how buffer overflows remain a persistent threat vector in enterprise software systems. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected Compaq management products and ensure proper network access controls are in place to limit exposure to this type of attack vector.