CVE-2007-5289 in Mercury Quality Center
Summary
by MITRE
HP Mercury Quality Center (QC) 9.2 and earlier, and possibly TestDirector, relies on cached client-side scripts to implement "workflow" and decisions about the "capability" of a user, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted use of the Open Test Architecture (OTA) API, as demonstrated by modifying (1) common.tds, (2) defects.tds, (3) manrun.tds, (4) req.tds, (5) testlab.tds, or (6) testplan.tds in %tmp%\TD_80, and then setting the file s properties to read-only.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-5289 represents a critical security flaw in HP Mercury Quality Center version 9.2 and earlier, as well as potentially in TestDirector applications. This issue stems from the improper handling of client-side script caching mechanisms within the Open Test Architecture (OTA) API implementation. The vulnerability exploits the application's reliance on cached scripts to determine user workflow capabilities and permissions, creating a persistent attack vector that can be leveraged by remote adversaries to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw specifically manifests through manipulation of temporary files within the %tmp%\TD_80 directory, which serves as a critical attack surface for privilege escalation and code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of specific .tds files including common.tds, defects.tds, manrun.tds, req.tds, testlab.tds, and testplan.tds that are cached in the temporary directory. These files contain workflow definitions and capability assessments that the application uses to determine user permissions and system behavior. Attackers can modify these cached files and then set their properties to read-only, effectively creating a persistent backdoor that allows execution of malicious code without requiring additional authentication. This approach bypasses normal authentication mechanisms and exploits the trust relationship between the application and its cached client-side components. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application level rather than at the network or operating system level, making it harder to detect through traditional network monitoring.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration. An attacker with remote access can leverage this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges, modify critical test data, manipulate workflow processes, and potentially establish persistent access to the quality assurance environment. The attack requires minimal privileges initially since it targets the caching mechanism rather than direct system access, making it particularly attractive to attackers who may have limited initial access. The vulnerability affects organizations using HP Quality Center or TestDirector in development and testing environments, potentially compromising sensitive project data, test results, and development processes. Given that these applications are commonly used in enterprise settings for critical software quality assurance, the impact can extend to business continuity and intellectual property protection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-5289 should focus on immediate application updates and access controls. Organizations must upgrade to versions of HP Quality Center or TestDirector that address this vulnerability, as the flaw exists in versions 9.2 and earlier. System administrators should implement strict file permissions on the temporary directories where these .tds files are cached, ensuring that only authorized processes can modify these critical components. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting write access to the %tmp%\TD_80 directory and implementing file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized modifications. Network segmentation and access controls should limit exposure of these applications to untrusted networks, while regular security audits should verify that cached files maintain proper permissions and have not been tampered with. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive logging and monitoring of file system changes in these directories to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically focusing on the execution of malicious code through application manipulation rather than traditional exploit methods.