CVE-2017-12496 in iMC PLAT
Summary
by MITRE
A Remote Code Execution vulnerability in HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version PLAT 7.3 (E0504) was found. The problem was resolved in HPE Intelligent Management Center PLAT v7.3 (E0506) or any subsequent version.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12496 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within HPE Intelligent Management Center PLAT version 7.3 E0504, specifically affecting the platform's handling of user-supplied input. This issue resides in the iMC platform's authentication and input validation mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on the target system without requiring valid credentials. The vulnerability stems from improper sanitization of input parameters within the web application's processing pipeline, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that bypass authentication controls and directly manipulate the underlying system operations. Such a flaw fundamentally undermines the security posture of network management infrastructure, as it enables attackers to assume complete control over the affected system and potentially expand their attack surface across the entire network ecosystem managed by the iMC platform.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully crafted input sequences that trigger buffer overflow conditions or injection flaws within the application's backend processing components. Attackers can leverage this weakness by sending malicious requests to specific endpoints within the iMC web interface, which then processes these inputs without adequate validation, leading to code execution at the system level. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing injection flaws that allow execution of arbitrary code through improper input handling. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to enterprise network security as the iMC platform serves as a centralized management solution for critical network infrastructure components, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for organizations relying on this system for network monitoring, configuration management, and security policy enforcement.
The impact of successful exploitation extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to perform comprehensive system compromise activities including privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor installation. Network administrators may find their monitoring capabilities compromised, potentially allowing attackers to hide their presence while conducting further reconnaissance or lateral movement activities within the network. The vulnerability's classification under the MITRE ATT&CK framework places it within the execution and privilege escalation domains, where attackers can leverage the compromised system to conduct advanced persistent threat operations. Organizations utilizing HPE iMC PLAT 7.3 E0504 are particularly vulnerable as the platform typically operates with elevated privileges and maintains access to sensitive network configuration data, making it an attractive target for sophisticated adversaries seeking long-term network infiltration.
Security remediation for CVE-2017-12496 requires immediate deployment of HPE Intelligent Management Center PLAT version 7.3 E0506 or later releases, which contain the necessary patches to address the input validation weaknesses. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the iMC platform to untrusted networks while monitoring for suspicious activity that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected systems within their environment that may be running older versions of the iMC platform. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated software to ensure that security patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing network management workflows, while also implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.