CVE-2001-0275 in Netsuite Web Server
Summary
by MITRE
Moby Netsuite Web Server 1.02 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service, and possibly execute arbitrary commands, via a long HTTP request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-0275 affects the Moby Netsuite Web Server version 1.02, representing a critical security flaw that demonstrates the dangers of improper input validation in web server implementations. This vulnerability exists within the server's handling of HTTP requests and represents a classic buffer overflow condition that can be exploited remotely. The flaw allows attackers to craft specially malformed HTTP requests that exceed the server's expected input length, leading to unpredictable behavior that can manifest as system crashes or potentially arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service disruption, as it could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to the underlying system, making it particularly dangerous for production environments.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the web server's request processing logic. When the server receives an HTTP request that exceeds predetermined buffer limits, the application fails to properly handle the overflow condition, resulting in memory corruption that can be leveraged by malicious actors. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient input validation allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication or specialized privileges, making it an ideal candidate for automated exploitation. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique of Network Denial of Service, and potentially to T1059.007 for command execution if the buffer overflow leads to code injection capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, affecting organizations that rely on the Moby Netsuite Web Server for their web hosting needs. A successful exploitation can result in complete service interruption, requiring system administrators to perform emergency restarts and potentially leading to data loss or system compromise. Organizations may face significant downtime costs, especially if they operate mission-critical web applications that depend on this server implementation. The vulnerability also creates potential for data breaches if attackers can achieve code execution, as they might gain access to sensitive information stored on the server. Furthermore, the presence of such a vulnerability in a widely deployed web server component can lead to cascading effects across interconnected systems, as attackers may use this initial foothold to pivot to other network resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-0275 should focus on immediate patching and configuration hardening measures. Organizations must prioritize updating to patched versions of the Moby Netsuite Web Server or migrating to alternative web server implementations that do not exhibit similar vulnerabilities. Network-level protections including firewall rules and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for unusually long HTTP requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. Implementing input validation controls at the application level can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other server components. The remediation process should also include comprehensive monitoring of system logs for signs of exploitation attempts, as well as establishing incident response procedures specifically designed to handle denial of service and potential code execution scenarios. Organizations should consider implementing rate limiting and request size restrictions as temporary measures while permanent patches are deployed, ensuring that all web server configurations follow security best practices and adhere to industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines.