CVE-2021-22397 in ManageOne
Summary
by MITRE • 08/02/2021
There is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Huawei ManageOne 8.0.0. External parameters of some files are lack of verification when they are be called. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by performing these files to cause privilege escalation attack. This can compromise normal service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-22397 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Huawei ManageOne 8.0.0 platform, a comprehensive cloud management solution designed for enterprise environments. This weakness stems from insufficient validation of external parameters within specific file processing functions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to elevate their privileges beyond normal operational boundaries. The vulnerability exists in the software's input handling mechanisms where external parameters are not properly verified before being processed, allowing attackers to manipulate system behavior through crafted inputs.
The technical nature of this flaw aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and specifically manifests as a lack of parameter sanitization in file processing routines. When external parameters are passed to these vulnerable files, the system fails to validate their integrity, authenticity, or expected format, enabling attackers to inject malicious data that can be executed with elevated privileges. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of software security and access control mechanisms, where normal user permissions can be bypassed to achieve administrative level access. The attack vector involves exploiting the parameter handling functions through specific file calls that are not adequately secured against malformed or malicious inputs.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-22397 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as successful exploitation can result in complete compromise of the ManageOne platform and associated services. Attackers who successfully leverage this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to sensitive system configurations, user data, and operational controls that should remain restricted to authorized administrators. The compromise of normal service operations can lead to data exfiltration, service disruption, and potential lateral movement within the affected network environment. This vulnerability particularly threatens enterprise cloud management infrastructures where ManageOne serves as the central control point for multiple services and resources, making the impact of exploitation significant for organizations relying on this platform.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Huawei's official security patches and updates released for this vulnerability, implementing network segmentation to limit access to ManageOne systems, and conducting thorough security assessments of all file processing functions within the platform. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and parameter sanitization in preventing privilege escalation attacks, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through system vulnerabilities. Security monitoring should focus on detecting anomalous parameter usage patterns and unauthorized access attempts to critical system components, while access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to minimize the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.