CVE-2008-3544 in OpenView Network Node Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in ovalarmsrv in HP OpenView Network Node Manager (OV NNM) 7.51, and possibly 7.01, 7.50, and 7.53, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long (1) REQUEST_SEV_CHANGE (aka number 47), (2) REQUEST_SAVE_STATE (aka number 61), or (3) REQUEST_RESTORE_STATE (aka number 62) request to TCP port 2954.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3544 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the ovalarmsrv component of Hewlett-Packard's OpenView Network Node Manager version 7.51, with potential impacts extending to versions 7.01, 7.50, and 7.53. This vulnerability resides in the network management software that organizations use to monitor and manage their network infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous as it could allow remote attackers to gain unauthorized control over network monitoring systems. The flaw specifically affects three distinct request types that are processed by the application's communication protocol, namely REQUEST_SEV_CHANGE (number 47), REQUEST_SAVE_STATE (number 61), and REQUEST_RESTORE_STATE (number 62), all of which are transmitted over TCP port 2954, the standard port used by the OpenView Network Node Manager service.
The technical mechanism of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of input data within the ovalarmsrv application, where attackers can craft malicious network requests containing oversized data payloads that exceed the allocated buffer space on the stack. This buffer overflow condition occurs when the application fails to validate the length of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers, creating a situation where excess data overwrites adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control information. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow, which is classified as a fundamental memory safety issue that has been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent attack vectors in software security. The nature of the attack allows for remote code execution without requiring authentication, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise network management infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system compromise as it directly affects the integrity and availability of network monitoring capabilities that organizations rely upon for operational security. When exploited successfully, attackers can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the ovalarmsrv process, which typically runs with elevated permissions to manage network devices and collect monitoring data. This could enable attackers to gain full control over the network monitoring infrastructure, potentially allowing them to manipulate monitoring data, disable security features, or establish persistent access points within the network environment. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the system or network, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that expose their network management systems to external networks or have inadequate network segmentation controls.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches that address the buffer overflow conditions in the ovalarmsrv component, restricting access to TCP port 2954 through firewall rules to limit exposure to trusted networks only, and implementing network segmentation to isolate network management systems from general network traffic. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059 Command and Control, specifically targeting remote code execution capabilities through network service exploitation. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious traffic patterns on port 2954 and establish network monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of network management infrastructure and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other network monitoring tools and systems that may be similarly vulnerable to buffer overflow attacks.