CVE-2002-1608 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in traceroute in HP Tru64 UNIX 5.1a, 5.1, 5.0a, 4.0g, and 4.0f allows local users to execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1608 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the traceroute utility distributed with HP Tru64 UNIX operating systems across multiple versions including 5.1a, 5.1, 5.0a, 4.0g, and 4.0f. This flaw exists in the network diagnostic tool that is commonly used to trace the path packets take through network infrastructure, making it a potentially dangerous security issue within enterprise network environments. The buffer overflow vulnerability specifically affects how the traceroute command processes command line arguments, creating an opportunity for malicious code execution with elevated privileges. The flaw is particularly concerning because it allows local users to exploit the vulnerability rather than requiring network-based attacks, which significantly broadens the potential attack surface. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the traceroute utility's insufficient input validation when processing command line parameters, particularly those related to network host specifications and packet size configurations. When a local user provides specially crafted arguments to the traceroute command, the program fails to properly bounds-check the input data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers. This allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow and enabling the injection of malicious code. The exploitation requires local system access, meaning users must already have login credentials or physical access to the system, but the privilege escalation aspect of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation would result in code execution with the privileges of the traceroute utility itself. This typically translates to root or administrative level execution capabilities within the HP Tru64 UNIX environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can compromise the integrity of network diagnostic processes and potentially allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to network infrastructure information. In enterprise environments where HP Tru64 UNIX systems are deployed, this vulnerability could enable attackers to perform reconnaissance activities without detection, as the traceroute utility is commonly used for legitimate network troubleshooting. The vulnerability also represents a potential pathway for attackers to establish persistent access to networked systems, especially if the traceroute utility is frequently used in automated network monitoring or security scanning processes. According to MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and command execution within the system. Organizations running these older HP Tru64 UNIX versions face significant risk, as the vulnerability could be leveraged to gain unauthorized access to sensitive network data or to establish backdoors within the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-1608 should focus on immediate system patching or upgrading to supported versions of HP Tru64 UNIX where the buffer overflow has been addressed. System administrators should also implement strict input validation policies and consider disabling unnecessary network diagnostic utilities when they are not actively required for system administration tasks. Additional security measures include implementing proper access controls to limit local user privileges, monitoring system logs for unusual traceroute usage patterns, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar buffer overflow conditions in other system utilities. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates the critical need for proper input validation in system utilities, particularly those that may be executed with elevated privileges. This issue underscores the broader challenge of maintaining security in legacy operating systems where vendor support may be limited and the risk of unpatched vulnerabilities remains high.