CVE-2018-7105 in iLO 4
Summary
by MITRE
A security vulnerability in HPE Integrated Lights-Out 5 (iLO 5) for HPE Gen10 Servers prior to v1.35, HPE Integrated Lights-Out 4 (iLO 4) prior to v2.61, HPE Integrated Lights-Out 3 (iLO 3) prior to v1.90 could be remotely exploited to execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7105 represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting HPE Integrated Lights-Out management interfaces across multiple server generations. This vulnerability specifically impacts HPE Gen10 servers running iLO 5 firmware versions prior to v1.35, HPE Gen8 and Gen9 servers with iLO 4 firmware versions prior to v2.61, and legacy systems with iLO 3 firmware versions prior to v1.90. The flaw exists within the remote management capabilities that allow administrators to monitor and control servers remotely, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit without physical access to the target systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication mechanisms within the iLO firmware interfaces. Attackers can leverage this weakness to bypass authentication controls and execute arbitrary code on affected systems, effectively gaining complete administrative control over the server's management interface. The flaw allows remote exploitation without requiring any credentials or prior access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered from any network location. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a classic case of privilege escalation through weak authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7105 extends far beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to critical server infrastructure. Once exploited, adversaries can manipulate server configurations, install malicious software, monitor network traffic, and potentially use the compromised management interface as a pivot point to attack other systems within the network. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security posture of enterprise data centers, as iLO interfaces are typically exposed to untrusted networks and are essential for server maintenance and monitoring operations. Organizations using affected firmware versions face significant risk of data breaches, service disruption, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-7105 require immediate firmware updates to the latest available versions for each affected iLO generation. HPE released patches addressing this vulnerability in firmware versions v1.35 for iLO 5, v2.61 for iLO 4, and v1.90 for iLO 3, which must be deployed across all affected systems. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate iLO interfaces from untrusted networks, with access restricted to authorized administrative personnel only. Additional protective measures include implementing strict firewall rules, disabling unnecessary iLO services, and monitoring for suspicious network activity related to iLO management ports. Organizations should also consider enabling secure communication protocols and regularly auditing iLO configurations to prevent unauthorized access. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware in enterprise infrastructure and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers execution through remote services, and T1078, which addresses valid accounts for persistence and privilege escalation.