CVE-2017-17323 in iBMC
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei iBMC V200R002C10; V200R002C20; V200R002C30 have an improper authorization vulnerability. The software incorrectly performs an authorization check when a normal user attempts to access certain information which is supposed to be accessed only by admin user. Successful exploit could cause information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17323 affects Huawei iBMC firmware versions V200R002C10, V200R002C20, and V200R002C30, representing a critical improper authorization flaw that undermines the security model of the device management interface. This vulnerability resides within the iBMC (integrated Baseboard Management Controller) system which serves as the remote management platform for Huawei servers, providing administrators with access to hardware monitoring, configuration management, and system diagnostics. The core issue manifests when normal user accounts attempt to access restricted information that should only be available to administrative users, demonstrating a clear breakdown in the authorization mechanism that separates user privileges and system access controls.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient validation of user permissions during information access requests within the iBMC interface, allowing unauthorized users to bypass expected authentication checks and retrieve sensitive data that would normally be restricted to privileged administrators. This improper authorization vulnerability operates at the application level within the web-based management interface, where the system fails to properly verify user roles and access rights before granting information retrieval permissions. The flaw essentially creates a path where standard user credentials can be leveraged to access administrative functions and sensitive system information, undermining the principle of least privilege that is fundamental to secure system design. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-285: Improper Authorization, which specifically addresses situations where applications fail to properly enforce access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables unauthorized information disclosure that could expose critical system details to malicious actors. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to system configuration data, user credentials, hardware status information, and potentially other sensitive administrative data that would normally be protected. This information disclosure could facilitate further attacks, including privilege escalation attempts, system compromise, or targeted exploitation of other vulnerabilities within the server infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the remote management interface that is often accessible from external networks, potentially allowing attackers to perform reconnaissance and gather intelligence without requiring elevated privileges. The security implications extend beyond simple information disclosure as the leaked data could be used to map system configurations, identify potential attack vectors, and plan more sophisticated exploitation strategies.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates to the latest available versions that contain patches addressing the authorization flaw. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access control measures to limit exposure of iBMC interfaces to trusted networks only, while also enforcing strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication for administrative access. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar authorization flaws within the management interfaces of other server hardware, and access logging should be enabled to monitor for unauthorized access attempts. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability would be categorized under T1078: Valid Accounts and T1005: Data from Local System, as it involves legitimate account exploitation to access restricted system information and represents a form of credential abuse. The remediation process should also include reviewing and implementing proper access control policies, ensuring that administrative privileges are granted only to authorized personnel, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect anomalous access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.