CVE-2013-4810 in ProCurve Manager
Summary
by MITRE
HP ProCurve Manager (PCM) 3.20 and 4.0, PCM+ 3.20 and 4.0, Identity Driven Manager (IDM) 4.0, and Application Lifecycle Management allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a marshalled object to (1) EJBInvokerServlet or (2) JMXInvokerServlet, aka ZDI-CAN-1760. NOTE: this is probably a duplicate of CVE-2007-1036, CVE-2010-0738, and/or CVE-2012-0874.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4810 represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting multiple HP ProCurve Manager products including PCM 3.20 and 4.0, PCM+ 3.20 and 4.0, Identity Driven Manager 4.0, and Application Lifecycle Management systems. This vulnerability stems from insecure deserialization practices within the Java-based web applications that process remote method invocation requests through EJBInvokerServlet and JMXInvokerServlet endpoints. The flaw allows remote attackers to craft malicious serialized objects that, when processed by the vulnerable servlets, trigger arbitrary code execution on the target system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects enterprise network management solutions that typically operate in privileged network segments and may have access to critical infrastructure components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of Java's serialization mechanism through the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) and Java Management Extensions (JMX) protocols. Attackers can construct specially crafted serialized objects containing malicious payload data that gets deserialized by the vulnerable servlets. When these servlets process the malicious objects through their invoke methods, the serialized data is executed within the context of the running Java Virtual Machine, providing attackers with full control over the affected system. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-502 which specifically addresses "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" and represents a classic example of insecure deserialization that has been documented in numerous security advisories over the years. The attack vector requires no authentication and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for network management systems that are often exposed to untrusted networks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass complete system compromise and potential lateral movement within enterprise networks. Given that these products are typically used for network infrastructure management, successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain access to network devices, modify configurations, steal credentials, or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of HP's network management software, suggesting it may be a long-standing issue that was not properly addressed in the security patches. Organizations running these systems face significant risk as the exploitation can occur without any user interaction or authentication, potentially leading to complete network infrastructure compromise. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python" and other execution techniques that leverage serialized object deserialization for privilege escalation and system control.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-4810 should focus on immediate patching of affected systems, network segmentation to isolate management systems from untrusted networks, and implementation of network monitoring to detect suspicious deserialization activities. Organizations should disable unnecessary JMX and EJB endpoints where possible, implement strict access controls, and consider deploying web application firewalls to filter malicious requests. The vulnerability's classification as a duplicate of CVE-2007-1036, CVE-2010-0738, and CVE-2012-0874 indicates it represents a recurring pattern in Java-based applications where deserialization security measures are insufficiently implemented. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments across their entire network infrastructure to identify all systems running affected HP products, as these management tools often serve as critical access points for enterprise networks. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization for all serialized data, along with regular security testing and code reviews focusing on deserialization practices, will help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.