CVE-2018-6494 in Service Manager Software Web Tier
Summary
by MITRE
Remote SQL Injection against the HP Service Manager Software Web Tier, version 9.30, 9.31, 9.32, 9.33, 9.34, 9.35, 9.40, 9.41, 9.50, 9.51, may lead to unauthorized disclosure of data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2023
The CVE-2018-6494 vulnerability represents a critical remote SQL injection flaw affecting HP Service Manager Software Web Tier versions 9.30 through 9.51. This vulnerability resides within the web application layer of the HP Service Manager platform, which is widely deployed for enterprise service management operations. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database system, potentially compromising the entire data infrastructure. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software, indicating a persistent flaw that was not adequately addressed in the patching cycles, making it particularly concerning for organizations maintaining legacy systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper input validation within the web tier components of HP Service Manager. Attackers can manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL payloads through various input parameters exposed by the web interface. This flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. The vulnerability enables attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms, extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or even escalate privileges within the affected system. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or network privileges to exploit the flaw.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6494 extends beyond simple data disclosure, as it represents a fundamental breach of database security within enterprise service management platforms. Organizations utilizing HP Service Manager for critical business operations face significant risks including exposure of confidential customer information, employee data, service requests, and business-critical operational details. The vulnerability can be leveraged to perform unauthorized data access, potentially leading to regulatory compliance violations under standards such as gdpr, hipaa, and pci dss. Additionally, the compromise of service management databases can disrupt business operations and potentially enable further attacks within the enterprise network, as service manager systems often contain integration points with other enterprise applications and databases. This vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the mitre att&ck framework under the initial access and credential access phases, where adversaries establish footholds through application layer vulnerabilities to gain deeper system access.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches released for HP Service Manager versions affected by this vulnerability. Network segmentation and web application firewalls should be deployed to monitor and filter suspicious database query patterns. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the service management infrastructure. Database access controls and privilege management should be reviewed to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across enterprise software ecosystems, as the affected versions span multiple release cycles, suggesting a prolonged exposure period for organizations that failed to implement timely updates. Security monitoring should include detection of SQL injection patterns and anomalous database access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts against this and similar vulnerabilities.