CVE-2007-5536 in OpenSSL
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in OpenSSL before A.00.09.07l on HP-UX B.11.11, B.11.23, and B.11.31 allows local users to cause a denial of service via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5536 represents a critical security flaw within OpenSSL versions prior to A.00.09.07l when deployed on HP-UX operating systems. This issue affects multiple HP-UX versions including B.11.11, B.11.23, and B.11.31, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on these platforms for secure communications. The vulnerability manifests as a local privilege escalation vector that can be exploited by malicious users with access to the system to disrupt normal operations through unspecified attack methods.
The technical nature of this vulnerability resides within the OpenSSL cryptographic library implementation on HP-UX systems, where insufficient input validation or memory management controls allow local attackers to manipulate the system's cryptographic functions. This flaw enables attackers to potentially cause system instability or complete system shutdowns through carefully crafted inputs that exploit the underlying OpenSSL implementation. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability could be triggered through various attack paths including but not limited to malformed certificate processing, memory corruption during cryptographic operations, or improper handling of specific cryptographic parameters.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-5536 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions as it represents a fundamental weakness in the cryptographic infrastructure of affected systems. Local users who exploit this vulnerability can potentially cause complete system outages, rendering critical services unavailable to legitimate users and creating opportunities for more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability's presence on widely used HP-UX versions means that organizations operating these systems face significant risk of service disruption, particularly in environments where OpenSSL is extensively used for secure communications, web services, and network security protocols. This weakness undermines the integrity of the system's security framework and can serve as a stepping stone for further attacks.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to OpenSSL version A.00.09.07l or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring and access controls to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses memory corruption issues, and may also relate to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for denial of service attacks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems running vulnerable OpenSSL versions, with immediate remediation prioritized for critical infrastructure components. Additionally, organizations should review their system access controls to limit local user privileges and implement proper logging mechanisms to detect suspicious activities that may indicate exploitation attempts.