CVE-2017-8966 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-2017-8966 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 plagued numerous enterprise applications over the years. The vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of serialized data objects during processing, creating an avenue for remote code execution attacks. The affected iMC platform serves as a comprehensive network management solution that aggregates and manages various enterprise network devices, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous given its potential impact on network infrastructure control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when untrusted data is deserialized without proper validation or sanitization mechanisms. Attackers can craft malicious serialized objects that, when processed by the vulnerable iMC platform, trigger arbitrary code execution on the target system. This flaw aligns with CWE-502 which specifically addresses deserialization of untrusted data as a security weakness. The vulnerability exists within the platform's handling of serialized Java objects or similar data formats used for communication between system components. The attack vector typically involves sending specially crafted malicious payloads through the platform's web interface or API endpoints that process serialized data, bypassing normal authentication and authorization mechanisms that would otherwise protect the system from unauthorized access.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8966 extends far beyond simple data compromise, as successful exploitation can result in complete system takeover and persistent access to enterprise networks. Network administrators who rely on iMC for managing critical infrastructure components face significant risk of unauthorized access to their network monitoring capabilities, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate network configurations, steal sensitive data, or establish backdoor access points. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would align with techniques such as T1059.007 for remote code execution and T1078 for valid accounts usage, as attackers could leverage compromised iMC systems to move laterally within enterprise networks. Organizations using this platform may experience service disruption, data breaches, and potential compliance violations given the sensitive nature of network management data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the affected iMC platform to the latest available security updates provided by Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable platform to untrusted networks or users. Additional defensive measures include disabling unnecessary network services, implementing web application firewalls to monitor for suspicious deserialization patterns, and conducting regular security assessments of the platform's configuration. The remediation process should also involve comprehensive network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, as well as establishing incident response procedures specifically designed to address deserialization-based attacks. Security teams should consider implementing application-level controls that validate and sanitize all incoming serialized data before processing, following the principle of least privilege to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.