CVE-2005-2993 in Tru64
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the FTP Daemon (ftpd) for HP Tru64 UNIX 4.0F PK8 and other versions up to HP Tru64 UNIX 5.1B-3, and HP-UX B.11.00, B.11.04, B.11.11, and B.11.23, allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (hang).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2993 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the FTP Daemon implementation across multiple HP Tru64 UNIX and HP-UX operating system versions. This issue affects ftpd services running on HP Tru64 UNIX versions 4.0F PK8 through 5.1B-3, as well as HP-UX systems including B.11.00, B.11.04, B.11.11, and B.11.23, where authenticated remote users can exploit this flaw to cause system hangs. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability indicates that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, though the impact is clearly defined as a denial of service condition that renders the affected system unresponsive.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates at the application layer within the file transfer protocol daemon implementation, which falls under CWE-119 for memory handling issues or CWE-122 for buffer overflow conditions that could lead to system instability. The fact that authentication is required suggests that the flaw exists within the session handling or command processing logic of the ftpd service, where properly crafted authenticated requests can trigger a state that causes the daemon to enter an indefinite wait or hang condition. This type of vulnerability typically stems from inadequate input validation, improper error handling, or race conditions within the daemon's processing logic.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-2993 extends beyond simple service disruption as it can severely compromise system availability and reliability in production environments. When an FTP daemon hangs, it affects not only file transfer capabilities but can also impact other services that depend on network connectivity or system responsiveness. The vulnerability's authenticated nature limits its exploitation scope but does not eliminate the threat, as legitimate users with access credentials can potentially cause system-wide outages. This issue particularly affects enterprise environments where FTP services are critical for data exchange, backup operations, or system administration tasks, making the potential for business disruption significant.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patch application from HP, as the affected systems represent legacy platforms that require specific security updates. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit access to FTP services, restrict authentication credentials to only necessary users, and monitor for unusual patterns of FTP activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service, where adversaries leverage service-specific weaknesses to disrupt availability. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that monitor for anomalous FTP daemon behavior and maintaining regular system audits can help detect exploitation attempts before they cause significant service disruption. Organizations should also consider migrating away from unsupported legacy systems to newer platforms with better security posture and ongoing vendor support.