CVE-2011-1852 in Intelligent Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in tftpserver.exe in HP Intelligent Management Center (IMC) 5.0 before E0101L02 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted packet content accompanying a (1) DATA or (2) ERROR opcode.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1852 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw in the tftpserver.exe component of HP Intelligent Management Center version 5.0 prior to E0101L02. This vulnerability exists within the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server implementation that is part of HP's network management infrastructure software, specifically affecting the handling of incoming TFTP packets. The flaw manifests when the server processes malformed packet content that includes either DATA or ERROR opcodes, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of TFTP protocol packets that are transmitted to the affected HP IMC server. When the tftpserver.exe process receives a crafted packet containing excessive data in either the DATA or ERROR opcode fields, the insufficient bounds checking allows the data to overflow the allocated stack buffer. This buffer overflow condition enables attackers to overwrite return addresses and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the running service account. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows remote code execution without requiring authentication, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to compromise network infrastructure management systems.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to potentially compromise the entire network management infrastructure. HP Intelligent Management Center serves as a central hub for monitoring and managing network devices, making it a prime target for attackers seeking persistent access to enterprise networks. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on HP IMC for network management, potentially allowing adversaries to gain unauthorized access to network configuration data, device credentials, and other sensitive operational information. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can leverage this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter, making traditional network segmentation measures ineffective against this specific threat vector.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates for HP IMC version 5.0, specifically targeting the E0101L02 release or later. Network segmentation strategies should be employed to isolate the affected systems from critical network segments, while implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious TFTP traffic patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is categorized under the broader class of buffer overflow conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the execution phase of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting the 'Exploitation of Remote Services' technique where adversaries leverage vulnerabilities in network services to gain unauthorized access. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed TFTP packets and monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability.