CVE-2017-5816 in Intelligent Management Center PLAT
Summary
by MITRE
A Remote Code Execution vulnerability in HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version 7.3 E0504P04 was found.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5816 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version 7.3 E0504P04, exposing organizations to significant cybersecurity risks. This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interface of the iMC platform, which serves as a centralized tool for network management and monitoring across enterprise environments. The affected system operates with elevated privileges and provides access to critical network infrastructure components, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking persistent access to corporate networks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the iMC's web application framework. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious HTTP requests that bypass authentication mechanisms and execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability specifically affects the platform's handling of user-supplied data within certain API endpoints, where insufficient sanitization allows for command injection attacks. This weakness aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, which classify the issue as a command injection vulnerability that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The attack vector requires no privileged access initially, as the vulnerability exists in the authentication bypass mechanism rather than in the execution layer itself.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5816 extends far beyond simple system compromise, as successful exploitation provides attackers with complete control over the iMC platform and subsequently the networks it manages. This includes the ability to modify network configurations, access sensitive operational data, and potentially pivot to other systems within the network perimeter. Organizations utilizing iMC for network monitoring and management face severe consequences including data breaches, service disruption, and compliance violations. The vulnerability's presence in a widely deployed network management solution means that a successful attack could compromise multiple network segments simultaneously, creating a significant lateral movement opportunity for threat actors.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the techniques related to privilege escalation and persistence. The vulnerability enables initial access through remote exploitation, followed by potential privilege escalation to system-level access, and ultimately allows for the establishment of persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing network segmentation to isolate the iMC platform, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include disabling unnecessary web services, implementing strict access controls, and conducting comprehensive network monitoring to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise management platforms, as these systems often serve as primary attack surfaces for sophisticated adversaries targeting network infrastructure.