CVE-2001-0606 in iPlanet Web Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in iPlanet Web Server 4.X in HP-UX 11.04 (VVOS) with VirtualVault A.04.00 allows a remote attacker to create a denial of service via the HTTPS service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0606 represents a significant security flaw in the iPlanet Web Server version 4.x running on HP-UX 11.04 operating system with VirtualVault A.04.00 component. This issue specifically targets the HTTPS service functionality of the web server, creating a remote attack vector that can be exploited by malicious actors without requiring local system access or authentication credentials. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of certain HTTPS requests that can cause the web server process to crash or become unresponsive, effectively rendering the service unavailable to legitimate users.
The technical nature of this flaw involves a buffer overflow or memory corruption issue within the HTTPS protocol handling code of the iPlanet Web Server implementation. When remote attackers send specially crafted requests to the HTTPS service, the server fails to properly validate or process these inputs, leading to system instability and potential service disruption. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of denial of service attacks that can be classified as CWE-121, which encompasses buffer overflow conditions that can result in arbitrary code execution or system crashes. The specific implementation weakness in the VirtualVault component exacerbates the issue by introducing additional complexity in how secure connections are managed and processed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption as it can severely affect business continuity and availability of web applications hosted on the affected servers. Organizations relying on iPlanet Web Server for critical web services may experience significant downtime during exploitation attempts, potentially resulting in financial losses, reputation damage, and compliance violations. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the network, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no physical access to the target system. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks that target web services and application availability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-0606 should prioritize immediate patch application from the vendor, as this vulnerability was likely addressed through software updates and security patches released by the vendor. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, while monitoring network traffic for suspicious HTTPS requests that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems capable of identifying malformed HTTPS traffic patterns can provide early warning of potential attacks. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in controlled environments before deployment to production systems, ensuring that the security updates do not introduce compatibility issues with existing web applications. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other web server implementations and prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.