CVE-2019-5371 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-2019-5371 represents a critical remote code execution flaw discovered 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 in specific web interface components, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw specifically impacts the web-based management interface of the IMC platform, which serves as the central control point for network management operations across HPE infrastructure components.
Technical analysis reveals that the vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the IMC web application's parameter processing logic. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that bypass authentication checks and manipulate the application's internal processing routines. The vulnerability allows for unauthorized remote code execution with the privileges of the web application user, which typically runs with elevated system permissions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic example of a command injection or code injection flaw that can be leveraged for complete system compromise. The attack vector requires network access to the affected web interface and can be executed without requiring authentication in many scenarios, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise network management systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-5371 extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected IMC platform and potentially the entire network infrastructure managed through it. Organizations utilizing HPE IMC for network monitoring, configuration management, and security policy enforcement face significant risk of data breaches, network disruption, and lateral movement within their infrastructure. The vulnerability can be exploited to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive configuration data, or deploy additional malware within the network environment. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, and T1078 which addresses valid accounts for maintaining access. The compromised IMC platform could serve as a central command and control hub for attackers to orchestrate further attacks across the enterprise network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-5371 require immediate action including deployment of HPE's official security patches for IMC PLAT version 7.3 E0506P09 or later, along with network segmentation of the affected systems to limit attack surface. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect anomalous traffic patterns consistent with exploitation attempts, and consider disabling unnecessary web interface access where possible. Security teams must also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their IMC deployments and review access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can reach the management interface. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious requests and establishing robust logging and alerting mechanisms for suspicious activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of timely patch management for enterprise network management platforms and highlights the need for continuous security monitoring of all network infrastructure components.