CVE-2002-2432 in NetWare
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in NWFTPD.nlm before 5.03b in the FTP server in Novell NetWare allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (abend) via a crafted username.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2432 represents a critical denial of service weakness in the NWFTPD.nlm FTP server component of Novell NetWare operating systems. This flaw exists within the network file transfer protocol implementation and affects versions prior to 5.03b, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on legacy NetWare infrastructure. The vulnerability manifests when the FTP server processes specially crafted username inputs, leading to system instability and potential complete service interruption. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the underlying flaw may involve improper input validation or memory handling within the authentication process.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the deliberate crafting of malicious username data that triggers an abnormal termination condition within the NWFTPD.nlm process. When the FTP server receives such malformed input, it fails to properly handle the username validation routine, resulting in an abrupt system abend or crash. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper input handling as defined by CWE-20, which specifically addresses weaknesses in input validation that can lead to system instability. The attack vector requires remote access to the FTP service, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers without physical access to the network infrastructure.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents substantial risk to enterprise network availability and business continuity. Organizations utilizing affected NetWare systems may experience unexpected service interruptions that could affect file transfer operations, user access to shared resources, and overall network stability. The remote exploit capability means that attackers can potentially disrupt services from external locations, making this vulnerability particularly attractive for malicious actors seeking to cause operational disruption. The abend condition typically results in complete service degradation until manual intervention or system restart occurs, creating significant downtime and potential data access issues for legitimate users.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2002-2432 primarily involves upgrading to Novell NetWare version 5.03b or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the username handling flaw. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable FTP services to untrusted networks. Additional protective measures include monitoring for unusual authentication patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should consider disabling unnecessary FTP services where possible and maintaining updated inventory records of all vulnerable components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security patch management and the potential consequences of running outdated network infrastructure, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected components within their NetWare environment that may share similar input validation weaknesses.