CVE-2017-12511 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-2017-12511 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version 7.3 (E0504). This security weakness resides in the platform's handling of user-supplied input within the web-based management interface, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on the target system without requiring authentication. The flaw manifests through improper input validation mechanisms that fail to adequately sanitize data passed to backend processes, allowing attackers to inject malicious commands that are subsequently interpreted and executed by the vulnerable system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of input parameters within the iMC platform's web services layer. When legitimate users submit data through web forms or API endpoints, the system fails to properly validate and sanitize the input before processing it through backend components. This weakness aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental security flaw that enables injection attacks. The vulnerability specifically affects the platform's ability to handle specially crafted payloads that bypass normal input filtering mechanisms, allowing attackers to manipulate system behavior through command injection techniques.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to organizations relying on HPE iMC for network management and monitoring. Attackers who successfully exploit this flaw can gain full administrative control over the iMC platform, potentially leading to complete network compromise. The remote nature of the vulnerability means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or prior authentication credentials. Once compromised, the attacker can leverage the platform to monitor network traffic, modify configurations, escalate privileges, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for attacking other network segments. The impact extends beyond the immediate platform to encompass all systems managed through the compromised iMC environment.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary and most effective remediation involves upgrading to HPE Intelligent Management Center PLAT version 7.3 (E0506) or any subsequent release that includes the patched implementation. This upgrade addresses the underlying input validation flaws and incorporates proper sanitization mechanisms to prevent malicious input from being processed. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to the iMC platform, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious activity, and applying firewall rules to restrict access to the platform's web interface. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) highlights the potential for PowerShell-based attacks through this vector, emphasizing the need for comprehensive endpoint protection measures. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify any potential compromise and implement monitoring protocols to detect unauthorized access attempts.