CVE-2017-5821 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 • 10/03/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5821 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version 7.3 E0504P04, a widely deployed network management platform used by enterprises for monitoring and managing their IT infrastructure. This vulnerability resides in the web-based administration interface of the iMC platform, creating a significant security risk for organizations that rely on this system for critical network operations. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive network data.
Technical analysis reveals that the vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the iMC platform's web application, specifically in how it processes user-supplied data in certain API endpoints. The flaw manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize and validate parameters passed through HTTP requests, creating a path for malicious input to be interpreted as executable code. This type of vulnerability is classified as CWE-20, representing improper input validation, which falls under the broader category of injection flaws that have been consistently identified as one of the most critical security weaknesses in web applications. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can leverage it from any network location to gain system-level access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the iMC service account, typically running with elevated system permissions. Successful exploitation could result in complete compromise of the network management platform, allowing threat actors to view, modify, or delete network configuration data, monitor network traffic, and potentially pivot to other systems within the network perimeter. Organizations using this platform may experience significant disruption to their network management capabilities, with potential data exfiltration and system integrity compromise. The vulnerability's presence in a central network management system creates a single point of failure that could affect the entire enterprise network infrastructure, as iMC typically manages critical network devices including routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless access points.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5821 should include immediate implementation of HPE's official security patches and updates, which address the input validation issues that enable the remote code execution. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to isolate the iMC platform from critical network infrastructure, deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious requests, and conduct thorough network monitoring for suspicious activities. Additional defensive measures include disabling unnecessary network services, implementing strict access controls, and maintaining comprehensive network logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider the ATT&CK framework's techniques related to remote code execution and privilege escalation, as these methods are commonly employed by threat actors exploiting similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of keeping network management systems updated and the necessity of implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect critical infrastructure components. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure readiness for potential exploitation of this class of vulnerability.