CVE-2005-4350 in WBEM Services
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in WBEM Services A.01.x before A.01.05.12 and A.02.x before A.02.00.08 on HP-UX B.11.00 through B.11.23 allows remote attackers to cause an unspecified denial of service via unknown attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4350 represents a critical security flaw within HP-UX WBEM Services that affected multiple versions of the HP-UX operating system. This issue specifically impacted WBEM Services A.01.x versions prior to A.01.05.12 and A.02.x versions prior to A.02.00.08, creating a significant risk across HP-UX B.11.00 through B.11.23 platforms. The vulnerability falls under the category of unspecified denial of service conditions, where remote attackers could exploit unknown attack vectors to disrupt system operations. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows attackers to remotely compromise system availability without necessarily gaining direct access to system resources or data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the WBEM (Web-Based Enterprise Management) service implementation within HP-UX systems, which provides management capabilities through web-based protocols. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple potential entry points or exploitation methods could exist within the service's implementation, making the vulnerability particularly challenging to defend against. These service implementations typically handle remote management requests and may be exposed to network traffic, creating potential attack surfaces that could be leveraged to trigger system instability. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service issue indicates that successful exploitation would result in system unavailability or service disruption rather than direct data compromise or privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as WBEM services are fundamental components for system management and monitoring within HP-UX environments. Organizations relying on these services for remote system administration, monitoring, and configuration management would face significant operational risks when exposed to this vulnerability. The remote attack capability means that adversaries could potentially exploit this weakness from outside the organization's network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for systems with exposed management interfaces. This vulnerability could lead to extended downtime, reduced system availability, and potential business disruption for organizations that depend on HP-UX systems for critical operations.
The security implications of CVE-2005-4350 align with common attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the denial of service category, specifically targeting system availability through remote exploitation. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of WBEM services to trusted networks only, while also applying the vendor-provided patches to address the specific vulnerability. The issue represents a classic case where the unspecified nature of attack vectors requires comprehensive monitoring and defense-in-depth strategies. According to CWE guidelines, this vulnerability would be classified under CWE-119, which deals with memory safety issues that could lead to denial of service conditions, though the exact technical mechanism remains unspecified in the public description. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs should prioritize addressing this type of remote denial of service vulnerability to maintain system integrity and availability.