CVE-2004-2420

Vulnerability

Hitachi Job Management Partner (JP1) JP1/File Transmission Server/FTP versions 6 and 7 contain a vulnerability that allows remote attackers to cause the daemon to halt. The flaw is triggered by a port scan involving reset (RST) packets, which likely leads to an unexpected condition in the server's connection handling code [1]. The exact component within the affected versions is the FTP server daemon, and the condition is reachable from the network without prior authentication.

Exploitation

An attacker does not require any prior authentication or special privileges. The only requirement is network connectivity to the target server. By performing a port scan that sends reset packets (typically as part of a TCP scan), the attacker can trigger the vulnerability. The precise sequence is not detailed, but the act of scanning with RST packets is sufficient to halt the daemon [1]. No user interaction or race condition is needed.

Impact

Successful exploitation results in a denial of service (DoS): the JP1/File Transmission Server/FTP daemon stops responding [1]. This disrupts legitimate file transmission services and may require administrator intervention to restart the process. There is no indication of data corruption, information disclosure, or privilege escalation—only availability is affected.

Mitigation

The advisory does not mention a specific patch or fixed version. As of the publication date, users should refer to Hitachi's support channels for updated software. If no patch is available, potential workarounds include restricting network access to the FTP server (e.g., using firewalls or access control lists) to limit exposure to untrusted sources [1]. The vulnerability is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.