CVE-2005-3295 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in HP-UX B.11.23 on Itanium platforms allows local users to cause a denial of service due to a "specific stack size."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2019
This vulnerability resides within Hewlett Packard's HP-UX operating system version B.11.23 running on Itanium processor architectures where a specific stack size configuration creates a condition that enables local users to trigger a denial of service attack. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, though the impact is clearly defined as allowing privilege escalation from local user to system-level disruption. The stack size parameter represents a fundamental memory management aspect that when improperly configured or manipulated, can lead to system instability and complete service interruption.
The technical flaw manifests through improper handling of stack memory allocation within the kernel or system processes that execute on Itanium platforms. Stack overflow or underflow conditions typically occur when processes exceed allocated memory boundaries or when stack parameters are manipulated to force system-level failures. This particular vulnerability exploits the relationship between process stack allocation and system stability, where a local user can manipulate stack size parameters to cause kernel panic or process termination that results in complete system denial of service. The Itanium architecture's unique memory management characteristics may amplify this vulnerability's impact compared to other processor architectures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it represents a potential pathway for attackers to gain persistent system control or to create conditions that could be exploited for more severe attacks. Local users with minimal privileges can leverage this weakness to cause system-wide outages, potentially affecting critical business operations or infrastructure services. The vulnerability's presence in HP-UX B.11.23 indicates this was likely a long-standing issue that had not been properly addressed in the system's memory management subsystem. System administrators face the challenge of identifying and mitigating this vulnerability without disrupting legitimate system operations that depend on proper stack allocation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the affected HP-UX systems through official Hewlett Packard security updates. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous stack usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process must include thorough testing to ensure that security patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing applications or system services. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as process isolation and memory protection mechanisms to reduce the attack surface. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 which addresses improper validation of array indices and CWE-128 which covers the improper handling of stack memory conditions. The attack vector falls under ATT&CK technique T1499 which involves network disruption and denial of service attacks.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the critical importance of proper memory management in operating system kernels, particularly on specialized processor architectures like Itanium. System administrators must maintain comprehensive patch management procedures and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar memory-related vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also demonstrates how seemingly minor system configuration parameters can create significant security risks when they interact with specific processor architectures. Organizations should establish robust incident response procedures that include immediate containment and recovery protocols for denial of service conditions. Regular security training for system administrators is essential to ensure they understand the implications of stack management and memory allocation in system security.