CVE-2010-1549 in LoadRunner
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Agent in HP LoadRunner before 9.50 and HP Performance Center before 9.50 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1549 represents a critical security flaw within HP LoadRunner and HP Performance Center software versions prior to 9.50. This unspecified vulnerability exists within the Agent component of these performance testing tools, which are widely used by organizations for load testing and performance monitoring of applications and systems. The affected products are integral parts of enterprise testing environments where they simulate user loads and measure system performance under various conditions. The vulnerability's nature remains undisclosed in the public CVE database, suggesting either a complex exploitation mechanism or deliberate omission by the vendor for security reasons.
The technical flaw manifests in the Agent component's handling of input data or processing functions that fail to properly validate or sanitize external inputs. Attackers can leverage this weakness through unspecified vectors to gain unauthorized execution of arbitrary code on systems running vulnerable versions of the software. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of code execution flaws that can be exploited remotely, allowing attackers to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and directly manipulate the target system's execution flow. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests multiple potential exploitation pathways including buffer overflows, injection flaws, or improper input validation mechanisms within the Agent's communication protocols or data processing functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted for organizations using affected HP products. Remote code execution capabilities enable attackers to completely compromise systems running vulnerable Agent components, potentially leading to full system takeover, data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor access. Organizations utilizing HP LoadRunner and Performance Center for testing critical business applications face significant risk as these tools often run with elevated privileges and may have access to sensitive system resources or network segments. The vulnerability could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to testing environments, potentially affecting the integrity of performance testing data and compromising the security posture of entire application portfolios. This risk is amplified in environments where these tools are deployed across multiple systems or integrated with other enterprise security solutions.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate patching to upgrade to HP LoadRunner and Performance Center versions 9.50 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of vulnerable systems to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect suspicious activities related to the Agent component. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within a Limited Access Point, where insufficient controls allow unauthorized code execution. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as attackers may utilize the compromised systems to execute malicious commands through various scripting interfaces. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that patched systems remain secure and to identify any potential lateral movement opportunities that attackers might exploit through this vulnerability.