CVE-2022-38650 in Hyperic Server
Summary
by MITRE • 11/12/2022
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** A remote unauthenticated insecure deserialization vulnerability exists in VMware Hyperic Server 5.8.6. Exploitation of this vulnerability enables a malicious party to run arbitrary code or malware within Hyperic Server and the host operating system with the privileges of the Hyperic server process. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-38650 represents a critical insecure deserialization flaw within VMware Hyperic Server version 5.8.6, which was part of a product line that had reached end-of-life status. This particular vulnerability falls under the category of remote code execution through unauthenticated means, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no prior authentication credentials to exploit. The flaw exists in the deserialization mechanism of the Hyperic Server software, which processes data structures received from external sources without adequate validation or sanitization. When the server attempts to deserialize maliciously crafted input, it inadvertently executes arbitrary code within the context of the Hyperic server process. The security implications are severe as the execution occurs with the privileges of the Hyperic server process, which typically runs with elevated permissions on the host operating system. This privilege escalation capability allows attackers to potentially gain full control over the underlying host machine, making it a highly attractive target for threat actors seeking persistent access to enterprise environments. The vulnerability is classified as a remote code execution vulnerability that can be exploited over the network without requiring any authentication, significantly expanding the attack surface and reducing the barriers to exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation during the deserialization process, which is a well-documented weakness in software systems that handle serialized data structures. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-502, which describes "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" as a critical weakness that allows attackers to manipulate serialized objects and execute malicious code. The attack vector leverages the server's handling of serialized data structures, typically transmitted over network protocols such as HTTP or other communication channels used by Hyperic for monitoring and management functions. When an attacker sends specially crafted serialized data to the vulnerable server, the deserialization routine processes this data without proper validation, leading to the execution of arbitrary code on the target system. The specific nature of the vulnerability indicates that the Hyperic Server's deserialization mechanism lacks proper security controls to detect and prevent malicious payloads from being executed. This type of vulnerability is particularly insidious because it can be triggered by simple network requests, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network monitoring approaches.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-38650 extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass complete system compromise and potential lateral movement within enterprise networks. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can leverage the elevated privileges of the Hyperic server process to perform various malicious activities including data exfiltration, installation of persistent backdoors, or use of the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks against other network resources. The fact that this vulnerability affects a monitoring server creates additional risks as attackers can potentially gain access to sensitive network monitoring data and infrastructure information. The compromised Hyperic server could serve as a pivot point for attackers to move laterally within the network, especially if the server has access to critical systems or if it is used for managing other network components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability enables several techniques including execution through deserialization, privilege escalation, and persistence mechanisms. The compromised system could be used to establish command and control channels or to deploy additional malware payloads, making it a valuable asset for threat actors conducting long-term operations within target environments.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability is straightforward but requires immediate attention from system administrators and security teams. Since VMware has officially discontinued support for Hyperic Server 5.8.6, the primary solution involves upgrading to a supported version of the software or migrating to an alternative monitoring solution. Organizations that continue to operate unsupported software versions face significant security risks and should consider immediate migration to supported platforms. The vulnerability cannot be patched through standard security updates since the product line is no longer maintained, making migration the only viable long-term solution. Security teams should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, though detection may be challenging given the unauthenticated nature of the attack. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network access controls to restrict communication with the vulnerable Hyperic server, particularly if it is running in a production environment. The vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining supported software versions and the dangers associated with operating legacy systems that no longer receive security updates or patches from vendors.