CVE-2019-11963 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-2019-11963 represents a critical remote code execution flaw 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 managing HPE networking equipment and infrastructure components. The affected system serves as a central management console that allows administrators to monitor, configure, and maintain various HPE devices including switches, routers, and wireless access points. Organizations relying on this platform for network management operations face significant risk exposure when running vulnerable versions of the software.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the web application layer of the IMC platform. Specifically, the flaw occurs in how the system processes user-supplied parameters within certain API endpoints and web forms. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious HTTP requests that include specially crafted payloads designed to bypass authentication mechanisms and execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability is classified as a command injection flaw, where insufficient sanitization of input parameters allows attackers to inject and execute operating system commands with the privileges of the web application process. This type of vulnerability typically maps to CWE-77 and CWE-94 within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, representing command injection and code injection respectively.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-11963 extends far beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected IMC server. Once successfully exploited, adversaries can establish persistent access to the network management infrastructure, potentially enabling them to manipulate network configurations, exfiltrate sensitive operational data, or use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks against the broader network perimeter. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that IMC systems often operate with elevated privileges and maintain access to critical network infrastructure information. According to ATT&CK framework tactics, this vulnerability enables initial access and privilege escalation capabilities, potentially allowing adversaries to achieve lateral movement within the network environment.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to HPE IMC PLAT version 7.3 E0506P09 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to remediate the command injection flaw. Additionally, network segmentation should be implemented to isolate the IMC management systems from critical network segments, reducing the potential blast radius of successful exploitation. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous patterns in web application traffic, particularly unusual API calls or command execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable management interfaces to untrusted networks, as recommended in industry best practices for securing enterprise management platforms.