CVE-2007-0661 in Server Board Sc5400ra
Summary
by MITRE
Intel Enterprise Southbridge 2 Baseboard Management Controller (BMC), Intel Server Boards 5000XAL, S5000PAL, S5000PSL, S5000XVN, S5000VCL, S5000VSA, SC5400RA, and OEM Firmware for Intel Enterprise Southbridge Baseboard Management Controller before 20070119, when Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) is enabled, allow remote attackers to connect and issue arbitrary IPMI commands, possibly triggering a denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0661 represents a critical security flaw in Intel's enterprise server infrastructure management systems, specifically affecting the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) components integrated into various Intel server boards and enterprise southbridge products. This vulnerability exists within the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) implementation that governs remote system management capabilities in enterprise data centers, where the BMC serves as a dedicated microcontroller responsible for monitoring system health, managing power states, and providing out-of-band management access to server hardware. The affected systems include the 5000XAL, S5000PAL, S5000PSL, S5000XVN, S5000VCL, S5000VSA, SC5400RA, and various OEM firmware implementations, all of which were manufactured prior to the 20070119 firmware revision. The core issue stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms within the IPMI protocol implementation, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to establish connections to the BMC and execute arbitrary IPMI commands without proper authorization.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper access control validation within the IPMI communication stack, specifically within the BMC's authentication and authorization subsystem. This weakness creates an entry point where remote attackers can bypass normal security controls and gain access to the management interface through the IPMI protocol, which typically operates on specific UDP ports such as 623 for IPMI over LAN communications. The vulnerability allows attackers to perform unauthorized operations including but not limited to system configuration changes, power management commands, sensor data access, and potentially system reboot operations. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-284 which describes "Improper Access Control" and specifically addresses insufficient access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized access to protected resources. The flaw represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege, where the BMC fails to properly authenticate remote connections before granting access to management functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates significant risks for enterprise infrastructure security and system availability. Remote attackers who exploit this vulnerability can potentially cause denial of service conditions by issuing commands that disrupt normal system operations, such as resetting critical system components, modifying power management settings, or accessing sensitive hardware monitoring data. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where server management interfaces are often accessible over networks, and the vulnerability affects multiple generations of Intel server hardware that were commonly deployed in data centers and enterprise computing environments. This allows attackers to potentially compromise the integrity of system management operations and gain insights into hardware configurations, sensor readings, and system states that should remain protected. The vulnerability's impact aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers "Valid Accounts" and T1499 which covers "Endpoint Denial of Service" as attackers can leverage the BMC access to disrupt service availability and maintain persistence within target environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates to the affected Intel BMC implementations, with the recommended solution being the installation of firmware revisions released after January 19, 2007, which contain proper authentication mechanisms and access control enforcement. System administrators should also implement network segmentation to isolate BMC management interfaces from general network access, utilize dedicated management VLANs, and enforce strict firewall rules that restrict access to IPMI ports to authorized management systems only. Additional protective measures include disabling IPMI functionality when not required, implementing strong authentication mechanisms for legitimate access, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious IPMI communications that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware in enterprise server environments and demonstrates how legacy management interfaces can present security risks when not properly secured or updated. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on anomalous IPMI traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.