CVE-2012-5202 in Intelligent Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in HP Intelligent Management Center (iMC) and Intelligent Management Center for Automated Network Manager (ANM) before 5.2 E0401 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information, modify data, or cause a denial of service via unknown vectors, aka ZDI-CAN-1612.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5202 affects HP Intelligent Management Center (iMC) and Intelligent Management Center for Automated Network Manager (ANM) versions prior to 5.2 E0401, representing a critical security flaw that exposes these network management platforms to remote exploitation. This unspecified vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations relying on HP's network management solutions, as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information while simultaneously allowing data modification and potential denial of service conditions. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical details were not fully disclosed in the initial reporting, making it particularly dangerous as defenders lack complete information about the attack surface.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms within the HP iMC and ANM platforms, allowing remote attackers to manipulate the system through unknown vectors that could include protocol-level attacks, authentication bypasses, or manipulation of system interfaces. These platforms serve as critical network management tools that monitor and control enterprise networks, making any vulnerability particularly concerning as it could enable attackers to compromise network infrastructure, steal sensitive configuration data, or disrupt network operations. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to modify network configurations, potentially leading to complete network compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for enterprises utilizing HP iMC or ANM systems, as it creates a potential attack vector that could be exploited by threat actors to gain unauthorized access to network management functions. Organizations may experience data breaches, network disruption, or complete loss of network management capabilities, which could result in significant operational downtime and financial losses. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the network infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with distributed network management systems. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to perform reconnaissance, escalate privileges, or establish persistent access to network management functions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5202 should focus on immediate patch deployment for HP iMC and ANM systems to version 5.2 E0401 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to management interfaces, enforce strict access controls, and monitor network traffic for suspicious activities related to these platforms. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their network management infrastructure and consider implementing additional security controls such as network access controls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and potentially CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) categories, and could be mapped to ATT&CK techniques involving credential access, privilege escalation, and defense evasion through network management system compromise. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure readiness for potential exploitation of this vulnerability.