CVE-2003-1493 in Openview Network Node Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Memory leak in HP OpenView Network Node Manager (NNM) 6.2 and 6.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory exhaustion) via crafted TCP packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1493 represents a critical memory management flaw within Hewlett Packard's OpenView Network Node Manager versions 6.2 and 6.4. This memory leak vulnerability specifically targets the network monitoring and management software that organizations rely upon to maintain their network infrastructure. The flaw manifests when the system processes crafted TCP packets, which are specifically designed to exploit the memory allocation mechanisms within the NNM application. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of resource exhaustion attacks that can severely impact system availability and operational continuity. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote attackers to exploit the flaw without requiring authentication or local access to the system, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt network operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the TCP packet processing routines of the NNM application. When the system receives malformed or specially crafted TCP packets, the memory allocation functions fail to properly release allocated memory segments, leading to progressive memory consumption over time. This memory leak occurs at the application layer where network protocols are parsed and processed, creating a condition where successive packet processing events consume additional memory without adequate cleanup. The flaw is classified as a CWE-401 weakness, specifically representing a memory leak vulnerability where allocated memory is not properly deallocated. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through standard network traffic without requiring specialized access privileges or complex exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire network monitoring infrastructures. When attackers successfully exploit this memory leak, they can cause progressive memory exhaustion that leads to system instability, application crashes, and complete denial of service conditions. Organizations relying on HP OpenView NNM for network monitoring would experience significant operational disruption as the application becomes unresponsive or crashes entirely. The memory exhaustion can affect not only the NNM application itself but may also impact the underlying operating system resources, potentially causing cascading failures throughout the monitored network environment. This vulnerability directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes network denial of service attacks that consume system resources, and represents a classic example of how protocol-level vulnerabilities can be leveraged for system compromise. The impact is particularly severe for large network environments where NNM is used to monitor extensive network topologies, as the memory leak can accumulate rapidly and cause system-wide outages.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-1493 should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, while also applying the official security patches released by HP to address the memory leak in affected versions. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, and system administrators should establish regular monitoring protocols for memory usage metrics. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in network applications, aligning with security best practices outlined in standards such as NIST SP 800-125 and ISO/IEC 27001. Additionally, implementing network intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed TCP packets can provide an additional layer of protection against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider upgrading to newer versions of the NNM software that have addressed this vulnerability and implemented more robust memory management practices to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.