CVE-2019-5357 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 • 06/20/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2019-5357 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 platform's handling of user-supplied input during the processing of specific API requests, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of input parameters within the IMC's web services layer, allowing attackers to craft specially malformed requests that bypass normal security controls. This issue affects the core management capabilities of HPE IMC, which serves as a comprehensive network management solution used by enterprises to monitor and manage their IT infrastructure. The vulnerability impacts organizations that rely on HPE's network management platform for critical infrastructure monitoring and control, potentially exposing their entire network management ecosystem to unauthorized access and manipulation.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2019-5357 occurs through a classic input validation bypass mechanism where attacker-controlled data is processed without adequate sanitization or verification. When the IMC platform receives API requests containing malicious payloads, the system fails to properly validate the input parameters, leading to code injection vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-74, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in data queries, and CWE-94, which addresses improper control of generation of code. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the IMC service account, potentially gaining full administrative access to the management platform. The attack vector requires network connectivity to the affected IMC system, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with exposed management interfaces or those operating without proper network segmentation. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require authentication for the initial attack, though subsequent privilege escalation may be necessary depending on the system configuration and access controls in place.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-5357 extends far beyond a simple security compromise, as it fundamentally undermines the integrity of network management operations. Organizations utilizing HPE IMC for critical infrastructure monitoring face potential disruption of their network management capabilities, as attackers can manipulate the platform to gain unauthorized access to network devices, modify configurations, or execute destructive commands. The vulnerability creates a persistent backdoor within the management ecosystem, allowing attackers to maintain long-term access while potentially remaining undetected. This threat is particularly severe because IMC systems often serve as central points for managing multiple network devices, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to establish footholds within larger network environments. The impact includes potential data exfiltration, network disruption, and the ability to pivot to other systems within the organization's network perimeter. Organizations may experience significant operational downtime and security breaches, with potential regulatory implications depending on the nature of the managed infrastructure and data.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address CVE-2019-5357. The primary and most effective mitigation involves upgrading to HPE IMC PLAT version 7.3 E0506P09 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation flaws. Until upgrades are complete, organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate the IMC system from critical network segments, restrict access to the platform through firewall rules, and monitor network traffic for suspicious API requests. Network administrators should also disable unnecessary services and ports related to the vulnerable API endpoints, implement strict access controls, and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter techniques, as attackers can leverage the vulnerability to execute commands on the target system. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any potential exploitation attempts, and organizations should maintain detailed audit logs of all IMC platform activities to facilitate incident response and forensic analysis. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous API traffic patterns will help identify potential exploitation attempts before they result in successful compromises.