CVE-2009-0345 in Fire X2200 M2
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Embedded Lights Out Manager (ELOM) on the Sun Fire X2100 M2 and X2200 M2 x86 platforms before SP/BMC firmware 3.20 allows remote attackers to obtain privileged ELOM login access or execute arbitrary Service Processor (SP) commands via unknown vectors, aka Bug ID 6648082, a different vulnerability than CVE-2007-5717.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-0345 represents a critical security flaw within the Embedded Lights Out Manager (ELOM) component of Sun Fire X2100 M2 and X2200 M2 server platforms. This issue affects the Service Processor firmware version 3.20 and earlier, creating a significant attack surface that enables remote exploitation. The ELOM system serves as a remote management interface for server administrators, providing out-of-band access to system configuration, monitoring, and control functions. When compromised, this vulnerability allows attackers to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and gain elevated privileges within the management subsystem.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from unspecified attack vectors that permit unauthorized users to either obtain privileged ELOM login credentials or execute arbitrary commands directly on the Service Processor. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the embedded management interface. The vulnerability's classification as a different issue from CVE-2007-5717 indicates that it involves distinct attack surfaces, yet both affect the same underlying management subsystem. The unspecified nature of the exact attack vectors suggests that the flaw could potentially be exploited through multiple pathways, making it particularly challenging to defend against and remediate.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Remote attackers who successfully exploit this flaw can gain complete control over the server's management interface, potentially leading to unauthorized system configuration changes, data exfiltration, or even system compromise. The ability to execute arbitrary Service Processor commands means that attackers could manipulate system settings, disable security features, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability essentially provides a backdoor into the server's management plane, which could be leveraged for more extensive attacks against the broader network environment. The implications extend beyond individual server compromise, as management interfaces often serve as attack vectors for lateral movement within enterprise networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates to version 3.20 or later, which would address the underlying flaw in the ELOM implementation. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to isolate management interfaces from general network traffic, reducing the attack surface available to remote adversaries. Additional protective measures include implementing strict access controls for management interfaces, monitoring for unusual authentication patterns, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments of embedded management systems. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-284 for improper access control and CWE-94 for arbitrary code execution, while the attack patterns correspond to techniques documented in the ATT&CK framework under the T1078 and T1059 categories. Organizations must also consider the broader implications for their security posture, as vulnerabilities in embedded management systems often indicate potential weaknesses in overall system security architecture and may require comprehensive security audits of similar components.