CVE-2018-7949 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A vulnerability in the iBMC (Intelligent Baseboard Management Controller) of certain Huawei servers can lead to privilege escalation, allowing remote attackers to manipulate user passwords.

Understanding CVE-2018-7949

What is CVE-2018-7949?

The vulnerability in the iBMC of specific Huawei servers enables attackers to send crafted login messages, exploiting flawed authentication design.

The Impact of CVE-2018-7949

The vulnerability allows low-privileged users to access and modify passwords of high-privileged users, posing a significant security risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-7949

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in the iBMC of Huawei servers permits privilege escalation through unauthorized password access and modification.

Affected Systems and Versions

Products: 1288H V5, 2288H V5, 2488 V5, CH121 V3, CH121L V3, CH121L V5, CH121 V5, CH140 V3, CH140L V3, CH220 V3, CH222 V3, CH242 V3, CH242 V5, RH1288 V3, RH2288 V3, RH2288H V3, XH310 V3, XH321 V3, XH321 V5, XH620 V3
Vulnerable Versions: Various versions of the mentioned products

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability is exploited by sending specific login messages remotely to the affected Huawei servers, leveraging the flawed authentication design.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches and updates provided by Huawei promptly
Implement network segmentation to limit access to vulnerable systems
Monitor and restrict remote access to critical servers

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch server firmware and software
Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security advisories from Huawei and apply recommended patches to mitigate the CVE-2018-7949 vulnerability.