CVE-2017-12501 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-2017-12501 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within HPE Intelligent Management Center PLAT version 7.3 E0504. This enterprise-grade network management platform serves as a comprehensive solution for monitoring and managing HPE networking equipment across large-scale deployments. The affected system operates as a centralized management interface that handles configuration management, monitoring, and administrative functions for diverse HPE networking infrastructure components. The vulnerability specifically resides within the platform's handling of user-supplied input, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on the target system with the privileges of the affected service account. This represents a significant security risk given that iMC platforms typically operate in sensitive network environments where administrative access can provide extensive control over critical infrastructure components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the platform's web interface components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are processed by the affected system without proper sanitization or validation. The flaw allows for command injection attacks where crafted input parameters can be interpreted and executed as system commands. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing command injection and code injection weaknesses respectively. The attack vector typically involves sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable web application interface, where the malicious input is processed by backend components that fail to properly validate or sanitize the user-supplied data before execution. The vulnerability affects the platform's authentication and authorization mechanisms, potentially allowing unauthenticated remote code execution or privilege escalation depending on the specific implementation details.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to establish persistent access to the target network management infrastructure. Successful exploitation can result in complete compromise of the iMC platform, potentially enabling attackers to manipulate network configurations, access sensitive operational data, or use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. The affected environment typically includes critical network infrastructure management functions that may control routing, switching, and security device configurations across enterprise networks. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the managed network infrastructure, as attackers can modify configurations, disable monitoring capabilities, or exfiltrate sensitive network information. The potential for widespread impact increases when considering that iMC platforms often serve as central management points for large enterprise networks where a single compromised system could provide access to multiple network segments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to HPE Intelligent Management Center PLAT version 7.3 E0506 or later releases, which contain the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the iMC platform only to authorized administrative users and systems. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary services, implementing strict input validation for web applications, and conducting regular security assessments of the platform configuration. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated platform to ensure that all functionality remains intact while eliminating the vulnerability. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous network behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, including unusual command execution patterns or unauthorized configuration changes. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls to limit access to the iMC platform from trusted network segments only, as recommended by the ATT&CK framework's network infiltration techniques. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other enterprise management platforms and network infrastructure components.