CVE-2019-5397 in 3PAR Service Processor
Summary
by MITRE
A remote bypass of security restrictions vulnerability was discovered in HPE 3PAR Service Processor version(s): prior to 5.0.5.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5397 represents a critical remote security bypass flaw affecting HPE 3PAR Service Processor firmware versions prior to 5.0.5.1. This issue resides within the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the service processor component that manages storage array operations and system monitoring functions. The affected service processor acts as a dedicated management interface for HPE 3PAR storage systems, providing administrative access to configuration settings, performance monitoring, and system diagnostics. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of authentication tokens and session management protocols that allow remote attackers to bypass established security controls without proper credentials.
The technical flaw manifests through improper handling of authentication requests within the service processor's web interface and API endpoints. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to the management interface by crafting malicious requests that circumvent the normal authentication flow. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and affects the service processor's HTTP server implementation, where session tokens are not properly validated or refreshed. The flaw essentially allows an unauthenticated attacker to establish administrative sessions and execute privileged operations against the storage array. This represents a classic case of insufficient authentication checking that maps to CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication vulnerabilities in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as the service processor serves as a critical management interface for enterprise storage environments. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can manipulate storage configurations, access sensitive data, modify system settings, and potentially disrupt storage operations. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require physical access to the storage array, making the attack surface significantly broader. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the storage infrastructure, as unauthorized modifications could lead to data corruption, access control bypasses, or complete system compromise. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and legitimate credentials usage for persistence and privilege escalation.
Security implications for organizations using affected HPE 3PAR systems are substantial, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to gain complete administrative control over storage arrays without detection. The service processor typically operates with elevated privileges and has access to system-level configurations, making this a high-value target for attackers seeking persistent access to enterprise storage infrastructure. Organizations may face compliance violations if this vulnerability is exploited, particularly in regulated environments where storage system security is paramount. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish backdoors, monitor network traffic, or use the compromised service processor as a launch point for further attacks against the broader network infrastructure. Mitigation efforts should include immediate firmware updates to version 5.0.5.1 or later, implementation of network segmentation to restrict access to the service processor interfaces, and enhanced monitoring of authentication attempts and administrative activities. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their storage infrastructure to identify any other potentially affected components and establish incident response procedures to detect and respond to exploitation attempts.