CVE-2020-3371 in Integrated Management Controller
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2020
A vulnerability in the web UI of Cisco Integrated Management Controller (IMC) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to inject arbitrary code and execute arbitrary commands at the underlying operating system level. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted commands to the web-based management interface of the affected software. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to inject and execute arbitrary commands at the underlying operating system level.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3371 resides within the web user interface of Cisco Integrated Management Controller software, representing a critical security flaw that enables authenticated remote code execution. This weakness specifically targets the underlying operating system level of affected devices, creating a severe threat vector for malicious actors who can leverage the vulnerability to gain unauthorized control over the system. The issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web management interface, which fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied data before processing.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted command injection attacks that bypass normal authentication procedures. An authenticated attacker with access to the web-based management interface can submit malicious input that gets processed without proper validation, allowing arbitrary code execution at the operating system level. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes improper control of generation of code, specifically the execution of code from untrusted inputs. The flaw essentially creates a pathway for attackers to escalate privileges and execute commands with the same privileges as the web interface process, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise environments that rely on Cisco IMC for system management and monitoring. Organizations using affected versions of the software face potential unauthorized access to critical infrastructure management systems, enabling attackers to execute malicious commands, modify system configurations, or establish persistent access points. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the systems, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments where management interfaces are accessible over the internet. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter, and T1068, which addresses exploit for privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-3371 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems with the vendor-provided security updates. Organizations must also implement network segmentation to limit access to management interfaces, enforce strict access controls, and monitor for suspicious command execution patterns. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input patterns, conducting regular security assessments of management interfaces, and maintaining comprehensive audit logs of all administrative activities. The vulnerability underscores the importance of input validation controls and proper sanitization of user inputs in web applications, particularly those with elevated privileges and system-level access capabilities.