CVE-2019-17501 in Centreon
Summary
by MITRE
Centreon 19.04 allows attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands via the Command Line field of main.php?p=60807&type=4 (aka the Configuration > Commands > Discovery screen).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-17501 represents a critical command injection flaw within the Centreon monitoring platform version 19.04. This issue resides in the web interface's Configuration > Commands > Discovery screen, specifically in the Command Line field of the main.php?p=60807&type=4 endpoint. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into system commands. This allows authenticated attackers with appropriate privileges to inject malicious command sequences that get executed with the privileges of the web application process, typically running as a high-privilege user on the server.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the Command Line field within the discovery configuration interface. When administrators or attackers input specially crafted payloads into this field, the application fails to properly sanitize the input before executing it as a system command. This creates a classic command injection attack vector where malicious commands can be executed on the underlying operating system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The flaw maps directly to CWE-77 which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script injection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected Centreon server, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within the network. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to install backdoors, escalate privileges, or establish persistent access to the monitored infrastructure. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Centreon for network monitoring, as it provides a direct path to compromise the monitoring system itself, which often contains sensitive information about network topology, service configurations, and system credentials. This creates a significant risk for organizations where the monitoring system serves as a critical infrastructure component for security operations and incident response.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for Centreon 19.04 to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit the exposure of the web interface to only authorized personnel. The principle of least privilege should be applied to the web application accounts, ensuring they operate with minimal necessary permissions. Input validation and sanitization mechanisms should be strengthened across all user-supplied fields within the application. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the monitoring infrastructure. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access to prevent unauthorized access to privileged interfaces.