CVE-2017-12527 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 CVE-2017-12527 represents a critical remote code execution flaw discovered in HPE Intelligent Management Center PLAT version 7.3 (E0504) that poses significant operational risks to enterprise network management systems. This vulnerability specifically affects the iMC platform's handling of certain input validation mechanisms within its web-based administrative interface, creating an exploitable condition that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system. The flaw exists in the platform's processing of user-supplied data through web service endpoints, which fails to properly sanitize and validate input parameters before processing. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for "Exploitation for Client Execution" as it enables attackers to gain remote command execution capabilities without requiring authentication credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of input parameters within the iMC platform's web service layer, particularly affecting the handling of specific request parameters that control system operations. Attackers can craft malicious HTTP requests containing specially formatted payloads that bypass authentication mechanisms and directly invoke system commands through vulnerable code paths. The exploitation process typically involves sending crafted requests to specific web service endpoints that process user input without proper sanitization, allowing the attacker to inject and execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the affected service account. This vulnerability directly impacts the platform's security model by undermining the authentication and authorization controls that should protect the management interface from unauthorized access.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-12527 extends beyond simple remote code execution, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive network management data. Organizations utilizing HPE iMC PLAT 7.3 (E0504) face potential data breaches, system infiltration, and disruption of network management services that could affect critical infrastructure operations. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the network without requiring physical access or valid credentials, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where network management systems often contain sensitive configuration data, user credentials, and operational information. This vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access points within the network, potentially enabling lateral movement and extended compromise of other network segments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to HPE Intelligent Management Center PLAT version 7.3 (E0506) or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation flaws. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the iMC platform to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect anomalous requests that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect critical infrastructure management systems. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running the vulnerable version and ensure proper network access controls are in place to limit potential attack vectors. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.