CVE-2008-0924 in eDirectory
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the DoLBURPRequest function in libnldap in ndsd in Novell eDirectory 8.7.3.9 and earlier, and 8.8.1 and earlier in the 8.8.x series, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash or CPU consumption) or execute arbitrary code via a long delRequest LDAP Extended Request message, probably involving a long Distinguished Name (DN) field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0924 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the Novell eDirectory directory service implementation. This security weakness exists in the libnldap library component that handles LDAP extended requests, specifically within the DoLBURPRequest function. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Novell eDirectory including 8.7.3.9 and earlier releases, as well as 8.8.1 and earlier versions in the 8.8.x series, making it a widespread issue across several major releases of the directory service platform.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow occurs through carefully crafted LDAP extended request messages that contain excessively long distinguished name (DN) fields. When the ndsd daemon processes these malformed requests, the DoLBURPRequest function fails to properly validate the length of incoming DN data before copying it into fixed-size stack buffers. This lack of input validation creates a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent stack memory, potentially corrupting the program's execution flow. The vulnerability manifests as either a denial of service condition causing daemon crashes or more severely, arbitrary code execution capabilities that could allow remote attackers to gain control over the affected system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise directory services infrastructure. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can target these systems from outside the network perimeter without requiring authentication, making the attack surface particularly dangerous for organizations relying on Novell eDirectory for critical directory services. The potential for both denial of service and arbitrary code execution creates multiple attack vectors that could disrupt business operations or provide attackers with persistent access to network resources. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service disruption as successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise and lateral movement within the network infrastructure.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through official Novell security patches and updates that address the buffer overflow in the libnldap library. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to limit access to directory service ports and reduce the attack surface. Additionally, monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual LDAP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow classification and represents a technique that could be mapped to ATT&CK tactic of execution and privilege escalation. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on malformed LDAP extended request patterns that could indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability.