CVE-2012-2187 in Remote Supervisor Adapter II
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Remote Supervisor Adapter II firmware for System x3650, x3850 M2, and x3950 M2 1.13 and earlier generates weak RSA keys, which makes it easier for attackers to defeat cryptographic protection mechanisms via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2187 affects IBM Remote Supervisor Adapter II firmware versions 1.13 and earlier deployed on System x3650, x3850 M2, and x3950 M2 servers. This represents a critical cryptographic weakness that undermines the security foundation of remote management capabilities. The issue stems from the improper generation of RSA key pairs within the firmware, creating a significant attack surface that compromises the integrity of encrypted communications and authentication mechanisms.
The technical flaw manifests in the insufficient entropy and predictable random number generation algorithms used during RSA key creation processes. This weakness allows attackers to potentially factor the RSA moduli and derive private keys, thereby enabling unauthorized access to the remote management interfaces. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-330 weakness category, specifically addressing inadequate entropy in random number generation, which directly impacts cryptographic strength. Attackers can exploit this through various vectors including network-based reconnaissance, passive monitoring, and active cryptographic attacks that leverage the predictable nature of the generated keys.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to establish persistent backdoors within enterprise environments. Remote Supervisor Adapter II components are critical for system administration and monitoring, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations relying on these management interfaces. The attack surface includes potential privilege escalation, unauthorized system configuration changes, and complete compromise of the affected hardware platforms. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically targeting remote services and management interfaces for initial access and persistence.
Organizations should immediately implement firmware updates from IBM to address this vulnerability, as the affected systems represent high-value targets for sophisticated threat actors. Network segmentation and monitoring of management interface traffic can provide additional defense layers while patches are deployed. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all affected systems and implement proper key rotation procedures for any systems that cannot be immediately updated. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of cryptographic hygiene and proper random number generation in embedded systems and firmware components, particularly those handling sensitive administrative functions.