CVE-2020-7162 in Intelligent Management Center
Summary
by MITRE • 10/20/2020
A operatorgroupselectcontent expression language injection remote code execution vulnerability was discovered in HPE Intelligent Management Center (iMC) version(s): Prior to iMC PLAT 7.3 (E0705P07).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2020-7162 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within HPE Intelligent Management Center platform version 7.3 and earlier releases. This security weakness resides in the operatorgroupselectcontent expression language component, which processes user-supplied input without adequate sanitization or validation mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the iMC PLAT 7.3 release and all previous versions, creating a persistent risk across multiple deployment scenarios where this management platform is utilized for network infrastructure monitoring and control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper handling of expression language inputs within the operatorgroupselectcontent functionality. When malicious actors submit crafted payloads through this interface, the system processes these expressions without sufficient input validation, allowing arbitrary code execution on the target system. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-94, which specifically addresses the execution of code or commands that are not properly validated or sanitized. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious expressions that bypass normal access controls and execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the affected service account.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities within the iMC environment. Network administrators who rely on this platform for critical infrastructure management face significant risks including data exfiltration, system infiltration, and potential disruption of network operations. The vulnerability affects the core management functionality of the platform, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that depend on iMC for network monitoring and control. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, and potentially move laterally within the network infrastructure managed by the compromised iMC system.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of HPE Intelligent Management Center should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for iMC PLAT 7.3 E0705P07 and subsequent releases. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit exposure of the affected platform to untrusted networks. Security monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous expression language usage patterns and potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and sanitization in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and runtime application self-protection measures to provide additional layers of defense against similar expression language injection attacks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other components of the network management infrastructure.