CVE-2008-4052 in OpenVMS
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in SMGSHR.EXE in OpenVMS for Integrity Servers 8.2-1, 8.3, and 8.3-1H1 and OpenVMS ALPHA 7.3-2, 8.2, and 8.3 allows local users to cause a denial of service (crash) or gain privileges via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4052 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the SMGSHR.EXE component of OpenVMS operating systems. This vulnerability specifically affects Integrity Servers running OpenVMS versions 8.2-1, 8.3, and 8.3-1H1, as well as ALPHA systems with versions 7.3-2, 8.2, and 8.3. The flaw exists within the shared graphics subsystem responsible for handling graphical user interface operations and system messaging. The buffer overflow occurs when the system processes certain input data through the SMGSHR.EXE module, which serves as a critical interface for graphics handling and system message distribution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the stack memory allocation routines of SMGSHR.EXE. When malicious input data exceeds the allocated buffer size, it overflows into adjacent stack memory locations, potentially corrupting critical program execution data including return addresses and function pointers. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The flaw represents a fundamental security weakness in the memory management practices of the OpenVMS graphics subsystem.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to system stability and security integrity. Local users can exploit this condition to either cause system crashes and denial of service scenarios, or potentially escalate privileges to gain higher-level system access. The denial of service aspect creates immediate operational impact by disrupting system availability, while the privilege escalation capability poses long-term security threats to the entire OpenVMS environment. The vulnerability affects systems where graphical interfaces are utilized, making it particularly concerning for mission-critical applications that rely on OpenVMS for business operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-4052 should prioritize immediate system updates and patches provided by Hewlett Packard for the affected OpenVMS versions. Organizations must implement comprehensive system monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish robust incident response procedures. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through exploitation of system vulnerabilities. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit local user privileges where possible. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments and security audits should be conducted to identify similar memory corruption issues within other system components, as this type of flaw often indicates broader architectural security concerns that may affect other parts of the operating system infrastructure.