CVE-2009-2685 in Power Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the login form in the management web server in HP Power Manager allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via the Login variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2685 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the management web server component of HP Power Manager software. This issue specifically affects the login form functionality where the Login variable parameter is processed without adequate input validation or bounds checking. The flaw resides in how the web server handles user authentication requests, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to gain unauthorized system access. The buffer overflow occurs when maliciously crafted input exceeds the allocated stack buffer space designated for the Login variable, leading to memory corruption that can be manipulated to execute arbitrary code.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations. The attack vector is remote and authenticated, meaning that an attacker can exploit this vulnerability from outside the network boundary without requiring physical access to the system. The operational impact is severe as successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the web server process. This typically translates to unauthorized access to sensitive system resources, potential data exfiltration, and establishment of persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and the potential consequences of inadequate security controls in management interfaces. The flaw directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploitation of remote services through buffer overflow vulnerabilities, and T1078, which addresses legitimate credentials usage for persistence. Organizations running HP Power Manager software would be particularly vulnerable if they have exposed management web interfaces to untrusted networks, as the attack surface increases significantly when management services are accessible from external networks without proper access controls.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-2685 should include immediate application of vendor security patches released for HP Power Manager, implementation of network segmentation to isolate management interfaces, and deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious requests. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their web applications to identify similar buffer overflow conditions in other software components. Regular security monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect anomalous login patterns or unusual network traffic that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of all web applications to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of the system architecture.