CVE-2006-2551 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the kernel in HP-UX B.11.00 allows local users to cause an unspecified denial of service via unknown vectors.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2551 represents a critical security flaw within the kernel implementation of HP-UX B.11.00 operating system version. This unspecified weakness exists at the core level of the system's kernel, which serves as the fundamental component managing system resources and providing essential services to applications. The vulnerability specifically affects the B.11.00 release of HP-UX, an enterprise-grade Unix operating system developed by Hewlett-Packard for their PA-RISC and Itanium-based systems. The kernel serves as the primary interface between hardware and software components, making any weakness in this layer potentially catastrophic for system stability and security.
Local users possessing legitimate system access can exploit this vulnerability to trigger an unspecified denial of service condition within the kernel. The attack vector remains unspecified in the original description, which is common in early vulnerability reports where full technical details are not immediately available. However, given that this affects the kernel level and allows for denial of service execution, the potential attack scenarios likely involve memory corruption, resource exhaustion, or improper handling of specific system calls that could cause the kernel to crash or become unresponsive. The unspecified nature of the vectors suggests that multiple pathways may exist for exploitation, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a security research perspective.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as kernel-level denial of service attacks can result in complete system crashes requiring manual intervention and system restarts. For enterprise environments running HP-UX B.11.00, this vulnerability poses significant business continuity risks since any local user with access to the system could potentially cause widespread service interruptions. The impact is particularly severe in mission-critical applications where system uptime is essential, as even brief periods of unavailability could result in substantial financial losses and operational disruption. Additionally, the local nature of the vulnerability means that it could be exploited by malicious insiders or compromised accounts, presenting both internal and external threat vectors.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses weaknesses in the storage of data and memory management issues that can lead to system instability. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under privilege escalation and denial of service tactics, where local users leverage kernel-level weaknesses to compromise system availability. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the affected HP-UX systems through official Hewlett-Packard security updates, implementation of strict access controls to limit local user privileges, and comprehensive monitoring for unusual system behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures such as system integrity checking and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in their infrastructure. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date system patches and the potential risks associated with legacy operating system versions that may no longer receive comprehensive security support.