CVE-2013-2355 in System Management Homepage
Summary
by MITRE
HP System Management Homepage (SMH) before 7.2.1 allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-5217.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2355 affects HP System Management Homepage versions prior to 7.2.1, representing a significant security flaw that undermines access controls within the system management interface. This issue specifically targets the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern access to sensitive system information, creating a pathway for remote attackers to circumvent intended security boundaries. The vulnerability operates through unspecified vectors that differ from the previously documented CVE-2012-5217, indicating a distinct attack surface that requires separate mitigation strategies. The HP System Management Homepage serves as a critical management interface for monitoring and controlling server hardware components, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments that rely on comprehensive system management capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access control validation within the SMH framework, allowing unauthorized remote entities to gain access to system information that should be restricted to authenticated administrators. This flaw represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability where the system fails to properly verify user credentials or authorization levels before granting access to sensitive data. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests multiple potential exploitation pathways, including possible manipulation of session tokens, bypassing of authentication checks, or exploitation of weak input validation mechanisms. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and potentially CWE-285, which covers improper authorization scenarios. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques outlined in the ATT&CK framework under T1078 for valid accounts and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, demonstrating how this vulnerability can be leveraged to achieve unauthorized access to system management functions.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2355 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the system management infrastructure. Remote attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can obtain sensitive system information including hardware configuration details, system logs, user credentials, and management interface access parameters. This access enables attackers to conduct further reconnaissance, potentially leading to more severe compromises within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects organizations that deploy HP SMH for server management, particularly those with unpatched systems that expose the management interface to external networks. In enterprise environments, this could result in unauthorized access to critical server components, enabling attackers to manipulate system configurations, monitor network traffic, or establish persistent access points within the infrastructure. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require physical access to the systems, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments with exposed management interfaces.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to HP System Management Homepage version 7.2.1 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to address the access control bypass vulnerability. Network segmentation strategies should be employed to limit external exposure of management interfaces, ensuring that only authorized administrative networks can access the SMH components. Additional security measures include implementing robust firewall rules that restrict access to management ports, enabling strong authentication mechanisms, and conducting regular security audits of system management interfaces. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all system management components, as outdated interfaces often serve as primary attack vectors for sophisticated adversaries. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous access patterns to management interfaces, providing early warning capabilities for potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patched environment to ensure that legitimate administrative functions remain operational while the security vulnerability is properly addressed.