CVE-2012-2986 in SAN
Summary
by MITRE
lhn/public/network/ping in HP SAN/iQ 9.5 on the HP Virtual SAN Appliance allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the (1) first, (2) third, or (3) fourth parameter. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2012-4361.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2986 represents a critical command injection flaw within HP SAN/iQ 9.5 running on the HP Virtual SAN Appliance. This issue affects the lhn/public/network/ping functionality and demonstrates a significant security weakness that allows remote authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. The vulnerability specifically manifests when shell metacharacters are passed through the first, third, or fourth parameters of the ping command, creating a pathway for malicious command execution that bypasses normal security controls. The flaw stems from an incomplete remediation of a previous vulnerability, CVE-2012-4361, which indicates that the initial fix failed to address all potential injection vectors within the system's network functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the improper handling of user-supplied input within the ping command processing mechanism. When authenticated users submit parameters containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks, the system fails to adequately sanitize or escape these inputs before incorporating them into system commands. This lack of proper input validation creates a direct command injection pathway where malicious payloads can be executed with the privileges of the affected service account. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires only authenticated access, making it particularly dangerous as it leverages legitimate user credentials to bypass security controls. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88 categories, which specifically address command injection flaws where user-controllable data is incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2986 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full system compromise capabilities. An authenticated attacker could potentially execute arbitrary code, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects enterprise storage environments where the HP Virtual SAN Appliance serves as a critical component, potentially allowing attackers to disrupt storage services, steal data, or use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the organization's network. Given that the appliance operates within SAN environments, successful exploitation could lead to widespread data exposure and service disruption across multiple connected systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise security posture.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from HP, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the affected appliance, and conducting thorough access control reviews to ensure only necessary personnel have authentication credentials. Additional protective measures include deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious command execution patterns, implementing strict input validation controls at the application level, and establishing network monitoring protocols to detect unauthorized command injection attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and script execution, privilege escalation, and persistence mechanisms, requiring security teams to monitor for lateral movement activities and command execution artifacts. The incomplete fix nature of this vulnerability also highlights the importance of comprehensive vulnerability assessment and the need for thorough regression testing when applying security patches to ensure all potential attack vectors are properly addressed.