CVE-2016-8523 in Smart Storage Administrator
Summary
by MITRE
A Remote Arbitrary Code Execution vulnerability in HPE Smart Storage Administrator version before v2.60.18.0 was found.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8523 represents a critical remote arbitrary code execution flaw within HPE Smart Storage Administrator software, specifically affecting versions prior to v2.60.18.0. This issue resides in the web-based management interface of the storage administration tool, which is commonly deployed in enterprise data center environments for monitoring and managing HPE storage arrays. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the web application components that process user-supplied data through HTTP requests. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious HTTP requests that contain specially formatted payloads designed to bypass authentication checks and execute arbitrary commands on the target system with the privileges of the web application process. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly validate and sanitize parameters passed through the web interface, creating a pathway for remote code execution without requiring authentication credentials. This vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of organizations relying on HPE Smart Storage Administrator for their storage management needs, as it allows unauthorized attackers to gain full control over the affected systems. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it operates over standard HTTP/HTTPS protocols, making it accessible from external networks and enabling exploitation without physical access to the target infrastructure. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-77 and CWE-94, representing weaknesses in input validation and code execution that align with common attack patterns documented in the CWE database. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to enterprise storage environments as it enables attackers to execute malicious code on storage management servers, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and disruption of critical storage operations. The impact extends beyond immediate system compromise to include potential lateral movement within the network, as storage management systems often serve as central points for infrastructure monitoring and control. Organizations using affected versions of HPE Smart Storage Administrator face significant exposure to attackers who can leverage this vulnerability to gain persistent access to their storage infrastructure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for command and script interpreter, as it allows for arbitrary command execution through the web interface. The vulnerability affects the integrity and availability of storage management systems, potentially allowing attackers to modify storage configurations, delete critical data, or disrupt storage operations. Given the privileged nature of storage management interfaces, successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of the underlying storage infrastructure and associated data. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of insecure deserialization and command injection flaws that have been repeatedly documented in enterprise management applications. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including patching to the latest available version of HPE Smart Storage Administrator, network segmentation to restrict access to the management interface, and implementation of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected systems and implement proper monitoring for suspicious network activity related to the storage management interface. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise management tools and demonstrates the critical need for proper input validation in web applications handling sensitive administrative functions.