CVE-2016-4372 in iMC PLAT
Summary
by MITRE
HPE iMC PLAT before 7.2 E0403P04, iMC EAD before 7.2 E0405P05, iMC APM before 7.2 E0401P04, iMC NTA before 7.2 E0401P01, iMC BIMS before 7.2 E0402P02, and iMC UAM_TAM before 7.2 E0405P05 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted serialized Java object, related to the Apache Commons Collections (ACC) library.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4372 represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting multiple HPE iMC (Integrated Management Center) products including PLAT, EAD, APM, NTA, BIMS, and UAM_TAM versions prior to specific patch levels. This vulnerability stems from the improper handling of serialized Java objects within the Apache Commons Collections library, which serves as a foundational component in many enterprise applications for data manipulation and storage. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes untrusted serialized data without adequate validation or sanitization mechanisms, creating an attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to gain unauthorized system access. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems, effectively providing them with complete control over the targeted infrastructure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-502, which describes "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" as a critical weakness in software systems. When the affected HPE iMC applications deserialize Java objects from untrusted sources, they inadvertently execute malicious code embedded within the serialized payload. The Apache Commons Collections library, which is widely used for collection manipulation, contains a specific chain of classes that can be exploited to construct a gadget chain capable of executing arbitrary commands on the target system. This exploitation technique leverages the library's ability to dynamically invoke methods through reflection, creating a dangerous pathway from serialized input to system command execution. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no authentication or privileged access, making it exceptionally dangerous for network-connected systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities that can lead to data breaches, service disruption, and lateral movement within network environments. Organizations running affected HPE iMC versions face significant risk exposure since these management platforms often serve as central control points for network monitoring, user authentication, and system administration functions. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive configuration data, or manipulate network traffic flows. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell," as the executed commands could leverage PowerShell or other system shells for further exploitation. Additionally, the attack could map to T1078.004, which involves legitimate credentials used for logon sessions, as compromised iMC systems could provide attackers with access to legitimate user accounts and administrative privileges.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided patches for each affected product version, as HPE released specific updates addressing this vulnerability in their respective software releases. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit exposure of affected systems to untrusted networks, while implementing strict input validation and sanitization measures for any serialized data processing. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts, and system monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual command execution patterns or unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of software supply chain security and the need for organizations to maintain current knowledge of third-party library vulnerabilities, particularly those related to widely-used components like Apache Commons Collections that are often integrated into enterprise applications without thorough security review.