CVE-2008-0713 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the FTP server for HP-UX B.11.11, B.11.23, and B.11.31 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (FTP server outage) via unknown attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0713 represents a critical security flaw within the FTP server implementation of Hewlett-Packard's HP-UX operating systems across multiple versions including B.11.11, B.11.23, and B.11.31. This unspecified weakness resides in the server-side FTP component that governs file transfer operations and access control mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects authenticated users who can leverage their valid credentials to execute malicious actions against the FTP service. The attack vector involves remote exploitation where adversaries can manipulate the FTP server through unspecified means to trigger system instability and service disruption. This issue fundamentally compromises the availability aspect of the system's security posture by allowing legitimate users to induce denial of service conditions that can bring the entire FTP service to a complete halt.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling within the FTP server's processing logic. When authenticated users submit specific commands or data sequences to the FTP service, the server fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before processing them. This lack of proper validation creates opportunities for malformed or specially crafted requests to cause unexpected behavior in the server's execution flow. The vulnerability manifests as a complete service outage where the FTP server becomes unresponsive or terminates unexpectedly, effectively preventing legitimate users from accessing file transfer services. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways exist for exploitation, potentially involving various FTP command sequences, parameter values, or connection states that can trigger the underlying flaw.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on HP-UX systems for file transfer operations and data exchange. The denial of service condition directly affects business continuity by interrupting critical file transfer processes that may involve customer data, system backups, software distribution, or inter-departmental file sharing. Network administrators and system operators face the challenge of maintaining service availability while addressing the vulnerability, as the impact extends beyond simple service interruption to potential data access delays and operational disruptions. The authenticated nature of the attack means that the vulnerability can be exploited by users with legitimate access rights, making it particularly dangerous as it bypasses traditional perimeter security controls and can be initiated from within the trusted network boundary. This creates a scenario where malicious insider threats or compromised legitimate accounts can cause significant service degradation.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-0713 should prioritize immediate patch application from HP, as the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the HP-UX operating system that require specific security updates. Organizations must implement comprehensive monitoring of FTP server activities to detect unusual command sequences or connection patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit the scope of potential attacks by restricting FTP service access to only necessary users and systems. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to identify patterns associated with FTP service disruption attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 and CWE-122 categories related to buffer overflow conditions and improper input validation, while also mapping to ATT&CK techniques involving service stoppage and availability disruption. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other network services and ensure comprehensive protection against related attack vectors that may exploit similar validation flaws in the system's architecture.