The slap_modrdn2mods function in modrdn.c in OpenLDAP 2.4.22 does not check the return value of a call to the smr_normalize function, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a modrdn call with an RDN string containing invalid UTF-8 sequences, which triggers a free of an invalid, uninitialized pointer in the slap_mods_free function, as demonstrated using the Codenomicon LDAPv3 test suite.
This vulnerability carries a CRITICAL severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.8, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 5 products from openldap, from vmware, from opensuse and 2 others, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Documented in 2010, this vulnerability occurred amid the cloud computing expansion era, where traditional network perimeter security models were being reevaluated. Organizations were transitioning from isolated infrastructure to interconnected systems, creating new attack surfaces that vulnerabilities like this could exploit.
2010-07-28T12:48:51.620
2025-04-11T00:51:21.963
Deferred
CVSSv3.1: 9.8 (CRITICAL)
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
10.0
2.9
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | openldap | openldap | 2.4.22 | Yes |
| Operating System | vmware | esxi | 4.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | vmware | esxi | 4.1 | Yes |
| Operating System | opensuse | opensuse | 11.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | apple | mac_os_x | < 10.6.5 | Yes |
| Operating System | apple | mac_os_x_server | < 10.6.5 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For openldap's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.