T 5.54 Deliberately causing an Abnormal End

A Netware ABEND (Abnormal End) occurs when the Netware operating system can no longer carry out or control network processes properly due to hardware and/or software problems. In this case, the file server is stopped and must be restarted.

If an attacker has access to a Novell Netware server-console, the input of certain parameters will allow deliberate execution of an ABEND.

The abnormal end of a Novell Netware Server can even be caused by anyone having access to the network, without an authorised login being required. By opening the program SYS:\PUBLIC\RENDIR.EXE with additional parameters, every workstation with an "Attached" status can provoke an ABEND on a Novell Netware Server.