CVE-2009-0207 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in HP-UX B.11.11 running VERITAS Oracle Disk Manager (VRTSodm) 3.5, B.11.23 running VRTSodm 4.1 or VERITAS File System (VRTSvxfs) 4.1, B.11.23 running VRTSodm 5.0 or VRTSvxfs 5.0, and B.11.31 running VRTSodm 5.0 allows local users to gain root privileges via unknown vectors.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0207 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within HP-UX operating systems that affects multiple versions of VERITAS storage management components. This issue specifically impacts systems running HP-UX B.11.11 with VRTSodm 3.5, B.11.23 with VRTSodm 4.1 or VRTSvxfs 4.1, and B.11.31 with VRTSodm 5.0 or VRTSvxfs 5.0. The vulnerability exists within the VERITAS Oracle Disk Manager and VERITAS File System components, which are essential for storage management and file system operations in enterprise environments. These components are designed to provide robust storage management capabilities but contain a flaw that allows local attackers to escalate their privileges to root level access without requiring authentication. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors suggests that the underlying flaw could manifest through multiple attack paths within the system's privilege management mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation, which is classified as CWE-269 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. This weakness specifically addresses issues where an attacker can gain elevated privileges beyond their normal access level. The vulnerability operates at the system level within the storage management subsystem, where local users who already have access to the system can exploit this flaw to obtain root privileges. This typically involves either a buffer overflow, improper access control, or a logic flaw in the privilege checking mechanisms of the VERITAS components. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only local system access, meaning that an attacker who has already gained a foothold on the system through other means can leverage this vulnerability to achieve complete system compromise. The vulnerability represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement within the HP-UX storage management framework.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations using affected HP-UX systems. A successful exploitation of this vulnerability could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the highest possible privileges. This would enable them to modify system files, install malware, access sensitive data, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point to attack other systems within the network. The vulnerability affects critical enterprise storage management infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous for financial institutions, government agencies, and other organizations that rely heavily on HP-UX systems for their operations. Organizations with multiple affected systems could face widespread compromise if this vulnerability is exploited, potentially leading to data breaches, system outages, and significant operational disruption. The local privilege escalation nature means that even if network security controls are in place, an attacker who gains access to any user account on the system can escalate privileges without additional authentication requirements.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate system hardening and patch management. Organizations should prioritize applying the official security patches provided by Hewlett Packard for the affected versions of VRTSodm and VRTSvxfs components. System administrators should implement the principle of least privilege by restricting local user access and monitoring for unauthorized system modifications. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through system flaws, making it a critical target for defensive measures. Additional mitigations include implementing robust system monitoring to detect unusual privilege escalation attempts, disabling unnecessary storage management services, and conducting regular security assessments of the storage subsystem. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of a successful exploitation and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise storage management software, as these components often operate with elevated privileges and represent attractive targets for attackers seeking persistent access to critical systems.