CVE-2016-2021 in Systems Insight Manager
Summary
by MITRE
HPE Systems Insight Manager (SIM) before 7.5.1 allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information or modify data via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-2017, CVE-2016-2019, CVE-2016-2020, CVE-2016-2022, and CVE-2016-2030.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2019
HPE Systems Insight Manager version 7.5.1 and earlier contains a security vulnerability that affects remote authenticated users who can potentially access sensitive information or modify data through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct security flaw from several other CVEs published in the same timeframe, indicating that it operates through different technical mechanisms than the related vulnerabilities. The issue specifically impacts the authentication and authorization controls within the SIM platform, allowing attackers who have already established legitimate credentials to perform actions beyond their intended privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and potentially flawed input validation mechanisms within the SIM application. While the exact vectors remain unspecified in the CVE description, such vulnerabilities typically arise from improper privilege enforcement, inadequate session management, or weak authorization checks that permit authenticated users to access resources or perform operations they should not be authorized to execute. This could manifest through parameter manipulation, improper access control checks, or other authorization bypass techniques that are common in enterprise monitoring and management platforms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables data modification capabilities that can compromise the integrity of system monitoring data. An attacker with authenticated access could potentially alter configuration settings, modify system logs, or manipulate monitoring data to hide malicious activities or disrupt system operations. This represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where SIM is used for critical infrastructure monitoring, as it could allow attackers to maintain persistent access while covering their tracks through data manipulation. The vulnerability affects the overall security posture of organizations relying on HPE SIM for system management and monitoring.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to HPE Systems Insight Manager version 7.5.1 or later to address this vulnerability, as it represents a serious security risk that could be exploited by attackers who have already gained access to legitimate user accounts. System administrators should also review existing access controls and monitor for any suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE categories related to improper access control and insufficient authorization checks, and could potentially map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and defense evasion. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the broader system architecture that might provide additional attack vectors.