CVE-2005-0364 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in BIND 9.2.0 in HP-UX B.11.00, B.11.11, and B.11.23 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0364 represents a significant denial of service weakness within the Berkeley Internet Name Domain software version 9.2.0, specifically affecting Hewlett-Packard Unix operating system variants including B.11.00, B.11.11, and B.11.23. This issue resides within the core DNS resolution infrastructure that forms the backbone of internet naming services, making it particularly concerning for network administrators and security professionals who manage critical infrastructure components. The vulnerability manifests as an unknown flaw that can be exploited remotely, potentially allowing malicious actors to disrupt essential name resolution services without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the manner in which BIND 9.2.0 processes certain DNS queries or responses within the HP-UX environment, creating a condition where malformed or specially crafted input can trigger unexpected behavior in the DNS server implementation. This flaw likely involves memory management issues, buffer handling problems, or state machine inconsistencies that occur during normal DNS query processing, causing the service to crash or become unresponsive. The remote exploitation capability indicates that attackers can trigger this condition from outside the local network, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible DNS servers that serve critical internet infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as DNS servers form the foundation of internet connectivity and network operations. When a DNS server becomes unavailable due to this denial of service condition, it can cascade into broader network outages, affecting email services, web browsing, and other internet-dependent applications that rely on proper name resolution. Organizations that depend on HP-UX systems running BIND 9.2.0 for their DNS infrastructure face significant risk of service interruptions that can last until the vulnerability is patched or mitigated, potentially causing substantial business disruption and customer impact.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-0364 should focus on immediate patching of affected BIND installations, with particular attention to the specific HP-UX versions mentioned in the vulnerability description. System administrators should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual DNS traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while considering temporary firewall rules to restrict DNS query access from untrusted networks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which addresses buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can lead to service availability issues. Organizations should also consider implementing redundant DNS infrastructure and failover mechanisms to minimize the impact of such denial of service conditions on their overall network operations and service availability.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining current DNS server software and the potential for seemingly obscure flaws to cause widespread disruption in internet infrastructure. The remote exploitation capability highlights the need for robust network security practices and regular vulnerability assessments of core infrastructure components, particularly those that serve as fundamental building blocks for internet connectivity and service delivery across enterprise and internet service provider networks.