CVE-2017-10260 in Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM)
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM) component of Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite (subcomponent: System Management). The supported version that is affected is Prior to 3.2.6. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM). Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM). CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.5 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10260 affects Oracle Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM), a critical system management component within Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite that provides out-of-band management capabilities for server hardware. This flaw exists in ILOM versions prior to 3.2.6 and represents a significant security weakness that undermines the availability of mission-critical system management interfaces. The vulnerability resides within the System Management subcomponent of the broader Sun Systems Products Suite, which is designed to provide remote monitoring and management capabilities for Oracle's enterprise server infrastructure. The affected ILOM component serves as a gateway for system administrators to perform remote diagnostics, configuration changes, and hardware monitoring, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt business operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unauthenticated HTTP network access, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no credentials or prior access to the system. The flaw allows attackers to send specially crafted requests that trigger a denial-of-service condition within the ILOM interface, resulting in either a complete system hang or repeated crashes that render the management interface unusable. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control, and more broadly relates to CWE-400, covering unspecified resource management issues. The vulnerability's CVSS 3.0 score of 7.5 reflects the high availability impact, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H indicating that network-based attacks can be executed with low complexity, no authentication requirements, and full availability impact without compromising confidentiality or integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it directly affects the ability of system administrators to maintain and monitor their Oracle server infrastructure. When the ILOM interface becomes unavailable due to the denial-of-service condition, administrators lose critical remote management capabilities that are essential for system maintenance, hardware diagnostics, and emergency response procedures. This vulnerability particularly threatens enterprise environments where Oracle Sun servers are deployed in production data centers, as the loss of ILOM functionality can result in extended downtime for hardware maintenance operations and potentially compromise business continuity. The vulnerability's ease of exploitation means that any system with an exposed ILOM interface and version prior to 3.2.6 is immediately at risk, making it a widespread concern across organizations utilizing Oracle's enterprise server platforms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to Oracle ILOM version 3.2.6 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to restrict unauthorized network access to ILOM interfaces, particularly when these interfaces are exposed to untrusted networks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1499 technique for network denial-of-service attacks, highlighting the importance of implementing proper network monitoring and intrusion detection systems to identify and respond to exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected ILOM versions and establish regular patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining current firmware versions for system management interfaces, as these components often serve as attack vectors for more sophisticated compromise attempts that could potentially lead to full system compromise.