CVE-2002-1002 in eMFrame
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Novell iManager (eMFrame 1.2.1) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a long user name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1002 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Novell iManager version eMFrame 1.2.1, specifically targeting the handling of user name inputs. This issue manifests as a remote denial of service condition that can be exploited by attackers without requiring authentication or prior access to the system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the application's user name processing logic, where the software fails to properly bounds-check the length of user-provided identifiers before attempting to store them in fixed-size memory buffers.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when the iManager application receives a user name input that exceeds the allocated buffer capacity, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten with attacker-controlled data. This overflow condition results in unpredictable program behavior including stack corruption, memory pointer manipulation, and ultimately application crash or termination. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which represents a fundamental weakness in memory management practices where insufficient bounds checking allows memory corruption. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no privileged access and can be executed remotely, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt services.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Novell iManager for identity and access management functions. The denial of service condition effectively renders the application unavailable to legitimate users, potentially disrupting critical business processes that depend on user authentication and management capabilities. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, as it prevents authorized users from accessing the system while simultaneously providing attackers with a mechanism to cause system instability. Organizations may experience operational downtime, reduced productivity, and potential business disruption during exploitation attempts, particularly in environments where iManager serves as a central authentication point for enterprise resources.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass multiple defensive layers including immediate patch deployment from Novell to address the buffer overflow condition in eMFrame 1.2.1. Network administrators should implement input validation controls at perimeter devices to filter out excessively long user name inputs before they reach the vulnerable application. Additionally, system hardening measures such as stack protection mechanisms, address space layout randomization, and non-executable stack configurations can provide additional defense-in-depth. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics aligned with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service, where attackers leverage application-level flaws to create service disruption. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unusual patterns of user name submissions that may indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other applications within their infrastructure.