CVE-2006-2580 in OpenView Network Node Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in HP OpenView Network Node Manager (OV NNM) 6.20, 6.4x, 7.01, and 7.50 allow remote attackers to gain privileged access, execute arbitrary commands, or create arbitrary files via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2580 affects HP OpenView Network Node Manager versions 6.20, 6.4x, 7.01, and 7.50, representing a critical security flaw that exposes multiple unspecified attack vectors within the network management software. This vulnerability resides within a widely deployed network monitoring and management platform that organizations rely upon to maintain their network infrastructure. The affected versions of OV NNM operate as centralized systems that manage network nodes and provide monitoring capabilities across enterprise networks. The unspecified nature of the vulnerabilities suggests that multiple attack surfaces within the application may have been compromised, potentially including authentication mechanisms, input validation routines, and file system operations. These versions of HP OpenView NNM were particularly significant in enterprise environments where network monitoring and management were critical functions, making the exploitation of such vulnerabilities especially dangerous.
The technical flaw manifests through unknown vectors that enable remote attackers to achieve three primary malicious objectives including gaining privileged access, executing arbitrary commands, and creating arbitrary files. This indicates that the vulnerability likely involves multiple attack paths that could be leveraged by an unauthenticated remote threat actor to escalate privileges within the system. The ability to execute arbitrary commands suggests that the vulnerability may involve command injection flaws or insufficient input validation that allows attackers to manipulate system processes. The capability to create arbitrary files points to potential file system manipulation vulnerabilities, possibly including insecure temporary file creation or directory traversal issues. These attack vectors align with common security weaknesses such as those categorized under CWE-78, CWE-79, and CWE-22, which cover command injection, cross-site scripting, and path traversal respectively. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow attackers to establish persistent access to network management systems, potentially compromising the integrity and availability of the entire network infrastructure that the tool manages.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-2580 extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the capability to fundamentally compromise network management systems that are critical to enterprise operations. Organizations using affected versions of HP OpenView NNM could face complete system compromise, where attackers gain administrative privileges and can manipulate network configurations, monitor traffic, and potentially disrupt network services. The remote nature of the attack vectors means that adversaries can exploit these vulnerabilities from outside the network perimeter, making traditional network security controls less effective. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where network monitoring systems are often considered trusted components and may have elevated privileges within the network architecture. The exploitation could lead to significant business disruption, data breaches, and potential compliance violations, especially in regulated industries where network monitoring systems must maintain strict security controls. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability could map to techniques such as T1059 for command execution and T1078 for valid accounts, as attackers would likely leverage compromised systems to maintain persistence and escalate privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-2580 should focus on immediate patching of affected HP OpenView NNM versions, as well as implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable systems. Organizations should consider disabling unnecessary network services and ports associated with the affected software, while implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced, ensuring that the network management systems operate with minimal required permissions and that administrative access is tightly controlled. Security administrators should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for known exploitation patterns of similar vulnerabilities, as the unspecified nature of the vulnerabilities suggests multiple potential attack vectors that may require broad monitoring coverage. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining exposure points within the network management infrastructure, while maintaining updated security patches for all related software components to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.