CVE-2022-45963 in H3C
Summary
by MITRE • 12/28/2022
h3c firewall <= 3.10 ESS6703 has a privilege bypass vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2025
The CVE-2022-45963 vulnerability represents a critical privilege bypass flaw affecting H3C firewalls running version 3.10 ESS6703 and potentially earlier releases. This vulnerability resides within the firewall's authentication and authorization mechanisms, specifically targeting the way the system handles user privileges and access controls. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges without proper authorization, effectively bypassing the intended security boundaries that should separate different user roles and administrative functions. Such a vulnerability is particularly concerning in network security contexts where firewalls serve as critical gatekeepers protecting enterprise networks from external threats.
The technical implementation of this privilege bypass vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient privilege checking within the firewall's web administration interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific requests that manipulate the privilege levels assigned to their current session, potentially allowing them to access administrative functions that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-284 which describes improper access control, and may also relate to CWE-352 which addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities. The flaw likely exists in how the firewall processes privilege-related parameters in its API endpoints or web forms, where insufficient validation allows attackers to submit modified privilege values that are accepted without proper verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of the affected firewall systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this privilege bypass could potentially gain full administrative control over the firewall configuration, including the ability to modify firewall rules, access logs, configure network policies, and manipulate security settings that protect the entire network infrastructure. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising confidentiality through unauthorized access to sensitive configuration data, integrity by allowing potential modification of security policies, and availability through possible disruption of firewall services. The attack surface is particularly broad given that firewalls typically serve as central security devices in enterprise networks, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for organizational security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-45963 should prioritize immediate patching from H3C with the release of firmware updates addressing the privilege bypass flaw. Organizations should implement network segmentation and reduce the attack surface by limiting direct administrative access to firewall systems through dedicated management networks or VPN connections. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict access controls for firewall administration interfaces, monitoring for unusual privilege escalation attempts, and conducting regular security audits of firewall configurations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and defense evasion, with potential TTPs including T1078 for valid accounts and T1548 for legitimate credentials. Network administrators should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for firewall access and establishing robust logging and monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized privilege changes. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security firmware and conducting regular vulnerability assessments of network infrastructure components.