CVE-2011-1536 in Performance Insight
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in HP Performance Insight 5.0, 5.1x. 5.2x, 5.3x, 5.4, 5.41, and 5.41.002 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1536 affects HP Performance Insight versions 5.0 through 5.41.002, representing a significant security gap in enterprise monitoring software that could expose sensitive operational data to remote attackers. This unspecified vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure flaws, which typically allow unauthorized parties to access confidential system information without proper authorization. The affected versions suggest a broad impact across multiple releases of the HP Performance Insight suite, indicating this may be a persistent issue rather than a one-time flaw. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified means that the exact attack vectors or exploitation methods remain undisclosed, creating uncertainty for security professionals attempting to assess risk and implement appropriate defenses.
The technical nature of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture, where sensitive information can be accessed through unknown vectors that attackers can leverage remotely. This type of flaw typically stems from inadequate input validation, insufficient access controls, or improper privilege management within the software's codebase. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the attack surface may be broader than initially understood, potentially encompassing various pathways through which unauthorized access can occur. Such vulnerabilities often arise from complex interactions between different components of enterprise software, particularly in monitoring and performance management tools where data aggregation and processing create multiple potential entry points for malicious actors.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-1536 extends beyond simple data exposure, as performance monitoring tools typically contain highly sensitive operational information including system configurations, performance metrics, user activity patterns, and business-critical operational data. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to detailed insights about enterprise infrastructure, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks targeting other system components. The remote nature of the attack vector means that adversaries need not have physical access to the systems, significantly expanding the potential threat surface. Organizations using affected HP Performance Insight versions face the risk of competitive intelligence theft, regulatory compliance violations, and potential system compromise through subsequent attacks that leverage the stolen information.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and updates from HP, as the vendor would have developed specific fixes for the identified flaw. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to affected systems and establish monitoring protocols to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-200, which covers "Information Exposure," and may also relate to CWE-284, "Improper Access Control," depending on the specific implementation details. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability would map to techniques involving credential access and reconnaissance activities, as attackers would likely use the exposed information to plan more targeted attacks against the organization's infrastructure. Given the unspecified nature of the vectors, organizations should also consider implementing comprehensive network monitoring and intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain detailed audit trails for forensic analysis.