CVE-2002-1406 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in passwd for VVOS HP-UX 11.04, with unknown impact, related to "Unexpected behavior."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1406 resides within the passwd utility of VVOS HP-UX 11.04 operating system, representing a security flaw that manifests through unexpected behavioral patterns in the password management subsystem. This issue specifically targets the core password change functionality that users employ to modify their account credentials, creating potential vectors for unauthorized access or system compromise. The vulnerability classification as "unknown impact" suggests that the precise nature of the security implications was not fully understood at the time of reporting, indicating a potentially serious flaw that could enable privilege escalation or denial of service conditions.
The technical implementation flaw within the passwd utility stems from improper handling of input validation or state management during password modification operations. Such unexpected behavior typically arises when the system fails to properly validate user inputs or maintain consistent internal states during critical operations. The vulnerability likely exists in how the utility processes password change requests, potentially allowing malformed inputs or sequence violations that could cause the system to behave unpredictably. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-248, which addresses "Uncaught Exception" conditions in software implementations, where error handling mechanisms fail to properly manage abnormal program states.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple password management failures, potentially enabling attackers to exploit the unexpected behavior for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker could leverage this weakness to bypass authentication mechanisms, escalate privileges, or disrupt normal system operations through carefully crafted password change requests. The vulnerability's presence in HP-UX 11.04, a Unix-based operating system with enterprise-level deployments, means that organizations relying on this platform could face significant security risks. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that password change operations are frequent system interactions that could be exploited through automated tools or social engineering approaches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-1406 should prioritize immediate system updates and patches provided by HP, as the vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in core system utilities. Organizations should implement monitoring for unusual password change patterns or system behaviors that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which addresses legitimate credentials usage, as this vulnerability could enable adversaries to gain unauthorized access through compromised password management functions. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict input validation for all password change operations, enforcing account lockout policies after failed attempts, and conducting regular security audits of system utilities. System administrators should also consider implementing privilege separation mechanisms to limit the potential impact of exploitation, ensuring that password management functions operate with minimal required privileges. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust error handling and input validation in system utilities, particularly those handling authentication functions, as highlighted by CWE-252 which addresses "Unchecked Return Value" conditions that can lead to unexpected system behavior.