CVE-2019-1885 in Integrated Management Controller
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the Redfish protocol of Cisco Integrated Management Controller (IMC) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to inject and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted authenticated commands to the web-based management interface of the affected software. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to inject and execute arbitrary commands on an affected device with root privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-1885 represents a critical command injection flaw within Cisco's Integrated Management Controller (IMC) implementation of the Redfish protocol. This weakness exists in the authentication and input validation mechanisms of the web-based management interface, creating a pathway for authenticated remote attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with root-level access. The vulnerability specifically targets the IMC firmware components that handle Redfish API requests, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where remote management capabilities are extensively utilized. Organizations relying on Cisco's IMC for server management and monitoring face significant risk exposure due to the privilege escalation potential inherent in this flaw.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2019-1885 stems from inadequate input validation within the Redfish protocol implementation, specifically in how the IMC processes authenticated requests through its web interface. This vulnerability manifests as a classic command injection attack vector where maliciously crafted input can bypass validation checks and be interpreted as executable commands by the underlying operating system. The flaw operates at the application layer and leverages the legitimate authentication mechanisms of the Redfish protocol to gain initial access, then exploits insufficient sanitization of user-supplied parameters to execute arbitrary code. According to CWE-77, this vulnerability maps directly to command injection weaknesses where untrusted data is incorporated into system commands without proper validation or escaping. The attack requires only authenticated access, making it particularly concerning as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised accounts with legitimate management privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, CVE-2019-1885 presents a severe threat to enterprise security infrastructure, as it allows attackers to achieve complete system compromise with root privileges. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to modify system configurations, install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, or use the compromised device as a pivot point for lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability affects Cisco IMC versions that implement the Redfish protocol, which is increasingly adopted across data center environments for unified server management. Organizations utilizing Cisco's IMC for critical infrastructure management face potential disruption of service availability, data integrity breaches, and compliance violations. The privilege escalation to root level means that attackers can manipulate system-level components, potentially affecting multiple servers managed through the compromised IMC. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, demonstrating how authenticated access can be leveraged to execute malicious commands with elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-1885 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Cisco, as the vendor has released security updates addressing the input validation deficiencies. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of IMC management interfaces to trusted networks only, reducing the attack surface. Organizations should enforce strict authentication controls including multi-factor authentication and regular credential rotation to minimize the risk of unauthorized access. Monitoring and logging of management interface activities should be enhanced to detect anomalous command execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and sanitization practices, aligning with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-160 and ISO/IEC 27001 frameworks. Regular security assessments of management interfaces and API implementations should be conducted to identify similar validation gaps, while implementing principle of least privilege access controls for management accounts. System administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious command injection patterns in management traffic, providing additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts.