CVE-2017-12558 in Intelligent Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
A Remote Code Execution vulnerability in HPE intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version IMC Plat 7.3 E0504P2 and earlier was found.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12558 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version 7.3 E0504P2 and earlier installations. This vulnerability resides in the web-based management interface of the iMC platform, which serves as a centralized management solution for HPE networking equipment and infrastructure. The affected system operates with elevated privileges and provides administrative access to network devices, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise enterprise network infrastructure. The vulnerability specifically impacts the platform's handling of user input within certain web application components, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the iMC web interface components. Attackers can craft malicious HTTP requests that exploit improper parameter handling in the application's backend processing logic. This flaw allows unauthorized remote execution of commands with the privileges of the web application user, typically running with system-level access. The vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and more specifically relates to CWE-77, which addresses command injection. The attack vector requires no authentication for exploitation, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers from outside the network perimeter.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple system compromise, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the iMC platform and all managed network devices. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain access to sensitive network information, modify device configurations, install malicious software, and potentially escalate privileges to gain full system control. The iMC platform typically manages critical network infrastructure components including switches, routers, firewalls, and wireless access points, making the compromise of this management system equivalent to gaining control over the entire enterprise network. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and script injection, and T1068, which addresses local privilege escalation, though the initial access is achieved remotely through the web interface.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released by HPE. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the iMC management interface from untrusted networks, while also limiting administrative access to only necessary personnel. Additionally, monitoring for suspicious HTTP requests and unusual system activity should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise management systems, as unpatched platforms represent significant attack surfaces for sophisticated adversaries. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls and privileged access management solutions to reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future.