CVE-2019-11998 in Superdome Flex Server
Summary
by MITRE
HPE Superdome Flex Server is vulnerable to multiple remote vulnerabilities via improper input validation of administrator commands. This vulnerability could allow an Administrator to bypass security restrictions and access multiple remote vulnerabilities including information disclosure, or denial of service. HPE has provided firmware updates that address the above vulnerabilities for the HPE Superdome Flex Server starting with firmware version v3.20.186 (not available online) and v3.20.206 (available online). Apply v3.20.206 (4 December 2019) or a newer version to resolve this issue. Please visit HPE Support Center https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/home to obtain the updated firmware for your product.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2020
The CVE-2019-11998 vulnerability affects HPE Superdome Flex Server systems and represents a critical security flaw stemming from inadequate input validation mechanisms within administrator command processing. This vulnerability resides in the server's firmware implementation where administrative commands fail to properly validate user inputs, creating multiple attack vectors that can be exploited remotely by authenticated administrators. The flaw specifically targets the privilege escalation mechanisms that should enforce security boundaries, allowing malicious actors with administrative access to bypass established restrictions and gain unauthorized access to additional system functionalities. This vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege enforcement within the server's security architecture, creating potential for both information disclosure and denial of service attacks that could severely impact system availability and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper sanitization and validation of command parameters within the server's administrative interface, which falls under CWE-20 - Improper Input Validation. The flaw enables attackers to craft specially formatted administrative commands that circumvent normal access controls, effectively allowing privilege escalation attacks that align with ATT&CK technique T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers can leverage existing administrative sessions or credentials to execute malicious commands without requiring physical access to the system. This represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where administrative access is often centralized and maintained by limited personnel, as the compromise of a single administrative account could potentially lead to widespread system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-11998 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential information disclosure and denial of service scenarios that could severely disrupt business operations. Organizations utilizing HPE Superdome Flex Server systems face risks of unauthorized data access, system availability degradation, and potential complete system compromise if exploited successfully. The vulnerability's presence in firmware components means that system administrators must maintain vigilant monitoring of firmware updates and ensure timely deployment of security patches. The affected systems represent high-value targets within enterprise environments due to their critical role in hosting mission-critical applications and data storage, making the potential impact of this vulnerability particularly severe.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-11998 focus primarily on firmware updates as provided by HPE, with the recommended version v3.20.206 being the first publicly available patch addressing the vulnerability. System administrators should prioritize deployment of this firmware update or newer versions to ensure complete protection against the identified threats. The update process requires careful planning and testing to avoid potential service disruptions during firmware installation, particularly for systems running critical production workloads. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring measures to detect potential exploitation attempts, including reviewing administrative access logs for unusual command patterns and implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to identify anomalous behavior. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any additional related vulnerabilities within the HPE Superdome Flex Server ecosystem, as this vulnerability may indicate broader security architecture weaknesses that require comprehensive remediation.