CVE-2002-0116 in Palm
Summary
by MITRE
Palm OS 3.5h and possibly other versions, as used in Handspring Visor and Xircom products, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a TCP connect scan, e.g. from nmap.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0116 represents a significant denial of service weakness in Palm OS versions 3.5h and potentially earlier releases that were deployed in handheld devices such as the Handspring Visor and Xircom products. This flaw specifically manifests when the operating system encounters TCP connect scans initiated by network scanning tools like nmap, leading to system instability and complete service disruption. The vulnerability stems from inadequate handling of incoming network connections and connection attempts that follow the standard TCP three-way handshake process. When a remote attacker systematically probes the device's network ports using TCP connect scan techniques, the Palm OS implementation fails to properly manage these connection attempts, resulting in resource exhaustion or system crashes that effectively deny legitimate users access to the device's services. This issue directly relates to CWE-119 which encompasses weaknesses in memory handling and resource management, particularly in embedded operating systems where memory constraints and limited error handling capabilities create exploitable conditions. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level and demonstrates a fundamental flaw in how the Palm OS kernel manages concurrent network connections and socket operations, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network accessibility is expected or required.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the inherent design limitations within the Palm OS network stack, specifically in its handling of TCP connection states and port scanning detection mechanisms. When a TCP connect scan is performed against the device, the operating system's network subsystem does not adequately filter or process the incoming connection attempts, leading to a cascade of failed connection attempts that can overwhelm the system's connection handling capabilities. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499 which describes the use of network denial of service attacks to disrupt system availability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication or specialized privileges to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker with basic network scanning capabilities. The Palm OS implementation lacks proper connection rate limiting and connection state management, allowing malicious scanning activities to trigger system-level failures that result in complete device unresponsiveness. The flaw essentially creates a condition where legitimate network traffic can be disrupted by simply initiating a port scan, demonstrating a critical weakness in the operating system's defensive mechanisms against network reconnaissance activities.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-0116 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass complete device incapacitation, which can be particularly problematic for users who depend on these handheld devices for critical business or personal functions. In enterprise environments where these devices might be used for field operations or mobile access to corporate resources, this vulnerability could result in significant productivity losses and potential security breaches if attackers leverage the denial of service condition to gain further access to the device or its network connections. The vulnerability affects not just individual devices but also network infrastructure that relies on these handheld systems, potentially causing cascading failures in mobile communication networks. Organizations using Palm OS devices in mission-critical applications face heightened risk since the vulnerability can be exploited by automated scanning tools that continuously probe networks for vulnerable targets, making the device an easy target for both casual attackers and more sophisticated threat actors. The lack of proper network security controls within the Palm OS implementation means that even basic network reconnaissance activities can trigger device failures, creating an environment where legitimate network users may inadvertently cause system disruptions while performing routine network maintenance or security assessments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0116 require a combination of network-level protections and device-specific configuration changes to prevent exploitation while maintaining operational functionality. Network administrators should implement firewall rules that block or limit TCP connect scans targeting Palm OS devices, particularly in environments where these devices are connected to corporate networks. The implementation of rate limiting on incoming connection attempts and connection state monitoring can help detect and prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability before it causes system failure. Device-level mitigations include disabling unnecessary network services and ports that might be vulnerable to connection scanning, as well as implementing proper network segmentation to isolate Palm OS devices from critical network infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing network intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on TCP scanning activities targeting these vulnerable devices. Given the age of this vulnerability and the limited support for Palm OS devices, the most effective long-term solution involves migrating away from affected platforms to more modern operating systems with better security controls and established patch management processes. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify other potential vulnerabilities in legacy Palm OS implementations, as this particular flaw demonstrates the broader security challenges associated with embedded operating systems that lack comprehensive network security controls and proper resource management mechanisms.