CVE-2018-7115 in Intelligent Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
HPE Intelligent Management Center (IMC) prior to IMC PLAT 7.3 (E0605P06) is vulnerable to a remote buffer overflow in dbman.exe opcode 10001 on Windows. This problem is resolved in IMC PLAT 7.3 (E0605P06) or subsequent versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7115 affects HPE Intelligent Management Center (IMC) platforms running versions prior to IMC PLAT 7.3 (E0605P06). This represents a critical security flaw in the database management component of the IMC system, specifically within the dbman.exe process that handles network management operations. The affected system operates on Windows environments and exposes a remote buffer overflow condition that can be exploited by attackers without authentication. This vulnerability resides in the handling of specific opcodes within the database management service, creating an avenue for arbitrary code execution and potential system compromise. The flaw demonstrates the inherent risks associated with legacy network management systems that may contain unpatched vulnerabilities in their core components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a buffer overflow condition in the dbman.exe process when handling opcode 10001. This type of flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates over remote network connections, eliminating the need for physical access or local privileges. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that exceed the allocated buffer space, causing memory corruption that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the dbman.exe process. The Windows operating system environment provides additional attack surface considerations as the overflow can potentially be used to escalate privileges or manipulate system resources.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7115 extends beyond simple system compromise, as it affects the core network management infrastructure that organizations depend upon for monitoring and controlling their IT environments. Organizations utilizing affected IMC versions face potential unauthorized access to network management databases, which could result in data exfiltration, system manipulation, or complete service disruption. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target these systems from anywhere on the network, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with exposed management interfaces. Network administrators may experience unauthorized modifications to network configurations, disruption of management services, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The attack vector through the database management service also poses risks to the integrity of network monitoring data and operational procedures that depend on accurate system information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-7115 primarily involve immediate deployment of the patched IMC PLAT 7.3 (E0605P06) release or subsequent versions that address the buffer overflow condition in dbman.exe. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected management interfaces and employ network monitoring to detect anomalous traffic patterns associated with exploitation attempts. Security controls should include disabling unnecessary network services and implementing strict access controls for management interfaces. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of remote services, and T1059, covering command and script injection methods that could be employed in exploitation. System administrators should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected IMC versions and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems and regular security audits can help identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain overall network security posture against similar vulnerabilities.