CVE-2002-1409 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
ptrace on HP-UX 11.00 through 11.11 allows local users to cause a denial of service (data page fault panic) via "an incorrect reference to thread register state."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1409 represents a critical flaw in the HP-UX operating system kernel that affects versions 11.00 through 11.11. This issue specifically targets the ptrace system call functionality which is used for debugging and process tracing operations within the Unix-like environment. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of thread register state references during ptrace operations, creating a scenario where malicious local users can exploit this weakness to trigger system-wide crashes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the kernel's insufficient validation of thread register state references when processing ptrace system calls. When a local user executes a carefully crafted ptrace operation that references thread register state incorrectly, the kernel fails to properly validate the memory references and subsequently attempts to access invalid memory locations. This leads to a data page fault panic that results in immediate system termination and complete denial of service for all running processes on the affected system. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited by any local user with basic system access, making it a significant security concern for multi-user environments.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to system availability and stability. The denial of service condition caused by the data page fault panic means that legitimate system services and user processes will be abruptly terminated without warning, potentially leading to data loss and service interruption. The vulnerability affects the entire system kernel rather than individual applications, making it particularly impactful for mission-critical systems that rely on HP-UX 11.00 through 11.11 versions. Organizations running these older HP-UX versions face significant risk of system-wide outages that could affect business operations and require immediate system restarts to restore functionality.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in kernel space operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a privilege escalation and denial of service technique that could be leveraged by adversaries with local access to compromise system availability. The attack vector requires local system access but does not need elevated privileges, making it accessible to any user with basic login credentials. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including system patching, disabling unnecessary ptrace functionality, and monitoring for suspicious ptrace operations to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies should focus on applying the appropriate HP-UX security patches released by Hewlett-Packard to address the kernel-level flaw in ptrace implementation. System administrators should also consider implementing discretionary access controls to limit local user access to ptrace operations where possible. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect and alert on unusual ptrace activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and kernel hardening practices for legacy operating systems that continue to operate in production environments. Organizations should also consider migrating to supported operating system versions that have addressed this and similar kernel-level vulnerabilities through comprehensive security updates and patches.