CVE-2001-0629 in Openview Network Node Manager
Summary
by MITRE
HP Event Correlation Service (ecsd) as included with OpenView Network Node Manager 6.1 allows a remote attacker to gain addition privileges via a buffer overflow attack in the -restore_config command line parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2017
The HP Event Correlation Service represents a critical component within HP OpenView Network Node Manager 6.1, designed to process and correlate network events for system monitoring and management purposes. This service operates as a daemon process that handles various command line parameters for configuration management and system operations. The vulnerability exists within the service's handling of the -restore_config command line parameter, which is intended to restore system configuration files from backup sources. When processing this specific parameter, the service fails to properly validate input length, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to execute malicious code with elevated privileges.
This vulnerability constitutes a classic buffer overflow attack that exploits improper input validation within the Event Correlation Service's command line processing mechanism. The flaw occurs when the service receives a specially crafted -restore_config parameter that exceeds the allocated buffer space, causing memory corruption and potentially allowing arbitrary code execution. The buffer overflow vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication and can be executed remotely, making it accessible to any attacker with network connectivity to the affected system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with the ability to completely compromise the system's integrity and confidentiality. Successful exploitation allows remote attackers to execute commands with the privileges of the Event Correlation Service process, which typically runs with elevated system permissions. This can result in complete system takeover, data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor establishment. The vulnerability affects organizations using HP OpenView Network Node Manager 6.1, which was widely deployed in enterprise network monitoring environments, making it a significant concern for IT security teams managing critical infrastructure components.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patch application from HP, as the vendor has released updates to address the buffer overflow condition in the Event Correlation Service. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the affected service ports, particularly those used for remote configuration management. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and bounds checking within the service's command line parameter processing would prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and remote code execution, specifically targeting service configuration and system-level access. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and establish network monitoring procedures to detect abnormal command line parameter usage patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.