CVE-2012-4361 in SAN
Summary
by MITRE
lhn/public/network/ping in HP SAN/iQ before 9.5 on the HP Virtual SAN Appliance allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the second parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4361 represents a critical command injection flaw within the HP SAN/iQ management interface of the HP Virtual SAN Appliance. This issue affects versions prior to 9.5 and specifically targets the network ping functionality exposed through the lhn/public/network/ping endpoint. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle shell metacharacters in the second parameter of the ping command execution interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users submit maliciously crafted input containing shell metacharacters through the second parameter of the ping function. These metacharacters are then interpreted by the underlying shell executing the ping command, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary commands that execute with the privileges of the affected service. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-77 which defines improper neutralization of special elements used in a command, and specifically relates to CWE-78 which addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands. The attack vector requires remote access and authentication, placing this vulnerability in the category of authenticated remote code execution threats.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations utilizing HP Virtual SAN Appliance deployments. Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the core network management functionality of the SAN appliance, which typically operates with elevated privileges, making the potential impact of command execution particularly severe. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain persistent access, install backdoors, or manipulate network configurations that could disrupt storage services and compromise the integrity of the entire virtual SAN environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to HP SAN/iQ version 9.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this command injection vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit the attack surface, particularly restricting access to management interfaces to trusted administrative networks only. Input validation and sanitization measures should be strengthened at all points where user-supplied data is processed, implementing proper escaping mechanisms for shell command execution. Additionally, monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect suspicious command execution patterns and unauthorized access attempts to management interfaces. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it a critical target for defensive security operations and incident response procedures.