CVE-2012-3253 in Intelligent Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in HP Intelligent Management Center (IMC) before 5.0 E0101P05 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted input, as demonstrated by an integer overflow and heap-based buffer overflow in img.exe for a crafted message packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3253 affects HP Intelligent Management Center (IMC) versions prior to 5.0 E0101P05, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution through specially crafted input packets. This vulnerability exists within the img.exe component of the IMC system, which processes message packets from network sources. The flaw manifests as both an integer overflow and a heap-based buffer overflow, creating multiple attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to compromise systems running vulnerable versions of the software. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data corruption, as it allows adversaries to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive network infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the improper handling of input data within the img.exe process, which serves as a critical component for image processing and message handling within the IMC environment. The integer overflow condition occurs when the application fails to properly validate or constrain integer values during processing, leading to unexpected behavior that can be manipulated to overwrite adjacent memory locations. Concurrently, the heap-based buffer overflow indicates that the application allocates memory on the heap without sufficient bounds checking, allowing attackers to write beyond allocated buffer boundaries. These combined flaws create a particularly dangerous attack surface since they can be triggered through network-based communication channels without requiring authentication, making them attractive targets for automated exploitation campaigns.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-3253 extends significantly beyond the immediate technical compromise of individual systems, as the IMC platform serves as a central management hub for enterprise network infrastructure. Organizations utilizing vulnerable versions of HP IMC face potential exposure of their entire network management ecosystem, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with administrative privileges over the management center itself. This scenario aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and control through remote services, and represents a classic privilege escalation pathway through software exploitation. The vulnerability's remote execution capability means that attackers can potentially compromise systems from outside the network perimeter, making it particularly concerning for organizations that expose their management interfaces to external networks or maintain public-facing management systems.
The vulnerability's classification as unspecified multiple vulnerabilities within the HP IMC platform suggests a broader class of issues affecting various components of the system, potentially extending beyond just the img.exe process. This pattern of multiple related flaws indicates poor input validation practices across the software architecture, which may also affect other components within the IMC suite. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices and buffer overflows, and CWE-190, which covers integer overflow conditions. The lack of specific details in the vulnerability description suggests that this may represent a broader category of memory corruption issues that could affect similar network management platforms, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive vulnerability assessment and patch management across enterprise infrastructure. Remediation efforts should focus on upgrading to HP IMC 5.0 E0101P05 or later versions, while organizations should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and memory safety practices in enterprise network management software. The fact that this vulnerability affects a management platform rather than end-user applications makes it particularly concerning, as it represents a potential attack vector for compromising the central management infrastructure that organizations rely upon for network monitoring and control. The vulnerability's classification as remote code execution through crafted input aligns with ATT&CK tactics involving initial access and execution, and represents a significant risk to enterprise network security posture. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability as part of their overall vulnerability management strategy, while also implementing network-based detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's presence in the IMC platform highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of network management systems, particularly those handling untrusted network input from multiple sources.