CVE-2017-8965 in Intelligent Management Center PLAT
Summary
by MITRE
A Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Hewlett Packard Enterprise Intelligent Management Center (iMC) PLAT version 7.3 E0504P2 was found.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8965 represents a critical deserialization flaw within Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Intelligent Management Center platform version 7.3 E0504P2. This issue falls under the broader category of insecure deserialization vulnerabilities that have become increasingly prevalent in enterprise software ecosystems. The vulnerability stems from the platform's improper handling of serialized data structures, specifically when processing user-supplied input through the web interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious serialized objects that, when processed by the vulnerable application, trigger unintended code execution on the target system.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-502, which defines deserialization of untrusted data as a dangerous practice that can lead to remote code execution. In the context of iMC PLAT 7.3 E0504P2, the application fails to validate or sanitize serialized objects received through various API endpoints and web forms. When the platform attempts to deserialize these objects without proper input validation, it creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious payloads that can be executed within the application's runtime environment. This flaw exists because the application relies on default deserialization mechanisms that do not implement adequate security controls to prevent arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8965 is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing the affected HP iMC platform. Successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the application service account. This typically translates to unauthorized access to sensitive network management data, potential lateral movement within the enterprise network, and the ability to establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects the platform's web interface and management services, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication. Organizations may experience data breaches, system outages, and significant operational disruption when this vulnerability is leveraged by threat actors.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of mitigation to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary recommendation involves applying the official security patches released by Hewlett Packard Enterprise to update the iMC platform to a version that properly validates serialized data. Additionally, network segmentation should be implemented to isolate the iMC platform from critical network segments, reducing the potential impact of successful exploitation. Input validation controls should be strengthened at the application level, and the principle of least privilege should be enforced by running the iMC service with minimal required permissions. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous deserialization patterns and unusual command execution behaviors. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1210 - Exploitation of Remote Services highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses across the enterprise infrastructure.