CVE-2017-8954 in Intelligent Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
A Remote Code Execution vulnerability in HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version 7.2 was found.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8954 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version 7.2, a widely deployed network management platform used by enterprises for monitoring and managing their IT infrastructure. This vulnerability exists within the web-based management interface of the iMC platform, specifically within the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern access to administrative functions. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and improper handling of user-supplied data within the platform's web application components, creating an exploitable condition that allows unauthorized remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system with elevated privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a path traversal attack combined with insufficient access controls that permit unauthenticated users to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain administrative access to the iMC platform. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that manipulate the application's internal file handling processes, potentially allowing them to execute commands on the underlying operating system. The vulnerability specifically affects the web console component of iMC PLAT 7.2, where user inputs are not properly sanitized before being processed by the application's backend services. This weakness aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-287 Improper Authentication categories, representing a fundamental flaw in the platform's security architecture that enables attackers to escalate privileges and execute malicious code remotely without requiring valid credentials.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8954 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation provides attackers with complete control over the iMC platform and potentially the entire network infrastructure it manages. Once compromised, the attacker can manipulate network configurations, steal sensitive data, install backdoors, and use the platform as a pivot point for further attacks within the enterprise network. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target the system from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that expose their iMC platforms to external networks or have insufficient network segmentation in place. This flaw directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 Valid Accounts for initial access, T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter for executing code, and T1566 Phishing for initial compromise if the attack vector involves social engineering. Organizations using iMC PLAT 7.2 are at significant risk of data breaches, network disruption, and potential regulatory violations due to the platform's critical role in network management and the severity of the vulnerability.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches released by HPE, implementing network segmentation to isolate the iMC platform from critical network segments, and enforcing strict access controls through firewall rules that limit external access to the platform's web interface. Additional defensive measures include monitoring network traffic for suspicious patterns, implementing intrusion detection systems, and conducting regular security assessments of the iMC platform's configuration. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and authentication mechanisms in web applications, and organizations should review their security practices against industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework to prevent similar issues. Given the widespread use of HPE iMC platforms in enterprise environments, this vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the potential impact of unpatched authentication flaws and the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security configurations across all network management systems.