CVE-2008-1852 in OpenView Network Node Manager
Summary
by MITRE
ovalarmsrv in HP OpenView Network Node Manager (OV NNM) 7.51, 7.53, and possibly other versions allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via certain requests that specify a large number of sub-arguments, which triggers a NULL pointer dereference due to memory allocation failure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1852 affects HP OpenView Network Node Manager version 7.51 and 7.53, representing a critical denial of service flaw within the ovalarmsrv component. This issue manifests when remote attackers submit specially crafted requests containing an excessive number of sub-arguments that overwhelm the system's memory allocation mechanisms. The flaw specifically targets the memory management subsystem where insufficient validation occurs during request processing, leading to a NULL pointer dereference condition that ultimately results in application crash and complete service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory allocation handling within the ovalarmsrv service. When the system processes requests with excessive sub-arguments, the memory allocation routines fail to properly handle the resource exhaustion scenario, causing the application to attempt to dereference a NULL pointer. This condition, classified under CWE-476 as NULL pointer dereference, occurs because the system fails to properly validate the number of arguments before attempting to allocate memory for processing. The flaw exists in the protocol handling layer of the network management application, where the service does not implement proper bounds checking or resource limiting mechanisms for argument parsing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in production environments. Network administrators managing HP OpenView NNM systems face significant risk of unplanned outages and potential business disruption when this vulnerability is successfully exploited. The denial of service condition affects the availability of network monitoring capabilities, potentially leaving critical network infrastructure without proper monitoring and management functions. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising system availability and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.1 for network denial of service attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-1852 should prioritize immediate implementation of patches provided by HP, as the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software. Network administrators should implement proper input validation at network boundaries and consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed requests targeting the ovalarmsrv service. Additionally, implementing resource limiting controls and connection throttling can help prevent exploitation attempts from exhausting system resources. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management practices and input validation in network management applications, as highlighted by security standards that emphasize defensive programming techniques and proper error handling to prevent resource exhaustion attacks that can lead to system compromise.