CVE-2011-0742 in ZENworks Handheld Management
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in ZfHIPCND.exe in Novell ZENworks Handheld Management 7.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted IP Conduit packet to TCP port 2400.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0742 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the ZfHIPCND.exe component of Novell ZENworks Handheld Management version 7.0. This specific vulnerability exists within the IP Conduit packet handling mechanism that processes incoming network traffic on TCP port 2400. The buffer overflow occurs when the system receives a specially crafted IP Conduit packet that exceeds the allocated buffer space, allowing malicious actors to overwrite adjacent memory locations and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected service.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a classic buffer overflow attack pattern where insufficient input validation and bounds checking in the ZfHIPCND.exe process creates an opportunity for remote code execution. The flaw resides in how the application processes network packets destined for the TCP 2400 port, which serves as the primary communication channel for handheld device management within the ZENworks ecosystem. When an attacker sends a malformed packet containing excessive data, the application fails to properly validate the packet size before copying it into a fixed-size buffer, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged to redirect program execution flow.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations relying on Novell ZENworks Handheld Management for mobile device management. The remote exploit capability means that attackers can compromise systems without requiring physical access or local network presence, making the attack surface significantly broader. Successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, establish persistent backdoors, or escalate privileges to gain administrative control over managed handheld devices and potentially the underlying network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the entire ZENworks Handheld Management 7.0 deployment, creating a potential single point of failure for enterprise mobile device management systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to TCP port 2400, deployment of network intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious packet patterns, and application-level firewalls to filter malformed packets. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through network services. System administrators should prioritize patching the affected software to the latest available version, as Novell has released updates addressing this specific buffer overflow vulnerability. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network management components that may be susceptible to similar buffer overflow attacks.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend beyond immediate exploitation risks to highlight the critical importance of input validation in network services. This flaw demonstrates how seemingly routine packet processing functions can become attack vectors when proper bounds checking mechanisms are absent, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing and adherence to secure coding practices as outlined in industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Organizations should consider implementing zero-trust network architectures and regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in their mobile device management infrastructure.