CVE-2016-4377 in Smart Update
Summary
by MITRE
HPE Smart Update in Storage Sizing Tool before 13.0, Converged Infrastructure Solution Sizer Suite (CISSS) before 2.13.1, Power Advisor before 7.8.2, Insight Management Sizer before 16.12.1, Synergy Planning Tool before 3.3, SAP Sizing Tool before 16.12.1, Sizing Tool for SAP Business Suite powered by HANA before 16.11.1, Sizer for ConvergedSystems Virtualization before 16.7.1, Sizer for Microsoft Exchange Server before 16.12.1, Sizer for Microsoft Lync Server 2013 before 16.12.1, Sizer for Microsoft SharePoint 2013 before 16.13.1, Sizer for Microsoft SharePoint 2010 before 16.11.1, and Sizer for Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2015 before 16.5.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4377 represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting multiple HPE sizing tools and management solutions. This vulnerability impacts a wide range of software components including HPE Smart Update in Storage Sizing Tool, Converged Infrastructure Solution Sizer Suite, Power Advisor, and various specialized sizing tools for Microsoft products and SAP environments. The affected versions span across multiple release cycles, indicating a widespread issue that has persisted for considerable time. The vulnerability exists within the core functionality of these tools that are designed to perform system sizing calculations and infrastructure planning, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to compromise enterprise environments. These tools are typically deployed in enterprise data centers and are often used by system administrators and IT planners to design and optimize infrastructure configurations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from unspecified attack vectors that allow remote code execution, which aligns with common software security weaknesses such as buffer overflows, injection flaws, or improper input validation. According to CWE classification systems, this vulnerability likely manifests as a weakness in input validation or an improper handling of user-supplied data within the application's processing pipeline. The fact that multiple related tools share this vulnerability suggests a common codebase or architectural flaw that propagates across the product suite. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness by crafting malicious inputs that trigger the execution of arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, bypassing normal security controls and potentially gaining full system access. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where these tools might be exposed to untrusted networks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as these sizing tools are fundamental components in enterprise infrastructure planning and deployment processes. Organizations using these tools may unknowingly introduce backdoors or unauthorized access points into their systems during normal operations. The affected tools are commonly used in production environments and may be integrated with enterprise management systems, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or gain access to sensitive infrastructure planning data. The vulnerability's presence in tools designed for system sizing creates a unique risk profile where attackers could potentially manipulate system capacity calculations, leading to both security and operational consequences. Additionally, the widespread nature of affected products means that numerous enterprise environments could be simultaneously compromised, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for large organizations with extensive HPE product deployments.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation efforts by upgrading to the patched versions of all affected HPE sizing tools, with particular attention to versions that have been specifically mentioned in the vulnerability disclosure. The mitigation strategy should include network segmentation to limit access to these tools, implementation of network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, and thorough vulnerability scanning to identify any systems that may have been compromised. Security teams should also consider implementing additional controls such as application whitelisting, privilege separation, and regular security assessments of these management tools. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving remote code execution and privilege escalation, making it a critical target for defensive measures. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive risk assessments to determine the potential impact of any compromise and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing this vulnerability. The remediation process should include verifying the integrity of patched installations and monitoring for any anomalous behavior in systems where these tools are deployed.