CVE-2019-11954 in Intelligent Management Center PLAT
Summary
by MITRE
A remote code execution vulnerability was identified in HPE Intelligent Management Center (IMC) PLAT earlier than version 7.3 E0506P09.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2019-11954 represents a critical remote code execution flaw discovered in HPE Intelligent Management Center (IMC) PLAT software versions prior to 7.3 E0506P09. This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interface of the IMC platform, which is widely deployed across enterprise networks for system monitoring and management purposes. The affected system serves as a central hub for managing various network devices including switches, routers, and security appliances, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to gain unauthorized access to critical network infrastructure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the web application layer of the IMC platform. Specifically, the flaw manifests when the system processes user-supplied data through web forms or API endpoints without adequate sanitization or validation mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that bypass authentication checks and directly execute arbitrary code on the target server. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-20 as "Improper Input Validation" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1059.001 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell" within the attack chain.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-11954 is severe and far-reaching for organizations relying on HPE IMC for network management. Successful exploitation allows attackers to gain full administrative control over the IMC server, enabling them to execute commands with the privileges of the web application user. This access can be leveraged to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive network configuration data, modify system settings, or deploy additional malware. The vulnerability affects not only the IMC platform itself but also compromises the integrity of the entire network management infrastructure, potentially exposing thousands of connected devices to further attacks. Organizations may face significant regulatory compliance violations and reputational damage if such attacks result in data breaches or service disruptions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-11954 require immediate action from affected organizations to upgrade their HPE IMC installations to version 7.3 E0506P09 or later. Network administrators should also implement additional security controls including network segmentation to isolate the IMC server from critical network segments, deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious traffic, and implementation of strict access controls limiting administrative privileges to authorized personnel only. Organizations should conduct comprehensive network scans to identify any potential compromise and establish monitoring procedures to detect anomalous system behavior. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies as recommended by NIST guidelines and the CWE hierarchy for input validation vulnerabilities.