CVE-2011-1540 in System Management Homepage
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in HP System Management Homepage (SMH) before 6.3 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1540 represents a critical security flaw within HP System Management Homepage version 6.2 and earlier releases. This issue affects HP's web-based management interface that administrators use to monitor and control server hardware components including processors, memory, storage devices, and network interfaces. The vulnerability exists in the web server component of the System Management Homepage which handles HTTP requests from remote clients. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors makes this flaw particularly dangerous as it could potentially encompass multiple attack surfaces within the web application framework. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to the system management interface and execute malicious code with elevated privileges. The affected version range indicates that users running HP SMH 6.2 or earlier are at risk, while those using version 6.3 or later have received patches addressing this issue.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through remote authenticated access, meaning that an attacker must first establish valid credentials to access the system management interface. However, once authenticated, the attacker can leverage the unspecified code execution vectors to run arbitrary commands on the target system. This type of vulnerability typically stems from improper input validation, buffer overflows, or insecure coding practices within the web application's backend processing components. The attack surface likely encompasses various HTTP request parameters, form inputs, or API endpoints that are not properly sanitized before being processed by the underlying system. Given that the vulnerability allows code execution, it represents a severe privilege escalation threat that could enable attackers to compromise the entire management infrastructure.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-1540 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass complete system compromise and potential data breaches. An attacker with authenticated access could manipulate server configurations, install malicious software, or exfiltrate sensitive system information. The vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where HP SMH is used for centralized server management, as compromising a single management interface could provide access to multiple managed systems. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes "Improper Control of Generation of Code" and represents a code injection attack vector. The impact is further amplified by the fact that system management interfaces often contain sensitive operational data and control mechanisms that could be leveraged for lateral movement within network infrastructure. Organizations using unpatched versions of HP SMH face significant risk of unauthorized system manipulation and potential service disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-1540 primarily focus on immediate software updates and access control measures. The most effective solution involves upgrading to HP System Management Homepage version 6.3 or later, which contains patches specifically designed to address this vulnerability. Network administrators should implement strict access controls limiting who can authenticate to the system management interface, using multi-factor authentication and least privilege principles. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their management interfaces and monitor for unusual authentication patterns or unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include network segmentation, intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability scanning. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and execution through web application attacks, making it a significant concern for organizations implementing comprehensive security frameworks.