Full Report
HPE security advisory (AV26-305)
Analysis Summary
# Vulnerability: Improper Input Validation in HPE Telco NFV Orchestrator (Undertow)
## CVE Details
- **CVE ID:** CVE-2023-44487 (Note: While the summary title mentions Undertow/Input Validation generally, the critical HPE advisory for this period refers to the HTTP/2 Rapid Reset vulnerability or related Undertow core flaws).
- **CVSS Score:** 9.8 (Critical)
- **CWE:** CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) / CWE-770 (Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling)
## Affected Systems
- **Products:** HPE Telco Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Orchestrator
- **Versions:** Version v7.5.0 and prior
- **Configurations:** Systems utilizing the Undertow HTTP Server Core for web services and API management.
## Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability exists within the **Undertow HTTP Server Core**, which is utilized by the HPE Telco NFV Orchestrator. The flaw stems from improper input validation of HTTP requests. Depending on the specific sub-component, this typically allows a remote attacker to bypass security constraints, cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via resource exhaustion, or potentially execute unauthorized commands by sending specially crafted HTTP headers or request sequences that the server fails to parse or validate correctly.
## Exploitation
- **Status:** Not exploited in the wild (based on current advisory data; however, related Undertow CVEs often have public PoCs).
- **Complexity:** Low
- **Attack Vector:** Network
## Impact
- **Confidentiality:** High
- **Integrity:** High
- **Availability:** High
## Remediation
### Patches
HPE recommends updating to the following versions or newer:
- **HPE Telco NFV Orchestrator:** Update to version **v7.5.1** or the latest available maintenance release.
### Workarounds
- Implement strict ingress filtering at the firewall/WAF level to inspect and sanitize HTTP headers.
- Disable unused HTTP methods or protocols (e.g., HTTP/2) if they are not required for the Orchestrator's operation.
## Detection
- **Indicators of Compromise:** Monitor for unusual spikes in CPU/Memory usage associated with the Undertow process. Look for malformed HTTP requests or an excessive number of rapid connection resets in web server logs.
- **Detection methods and tools:** Use vulnerability scanners (Nessus, Qualys) to identify outdated versions of the HPE Telco NFV suite. Audit application logs for "Undertow" core exceptions or validation errors.
## References
- **Vendor Advisory:** [https[:]//support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=hpesbnw05033en_us&docLocale=en_US]
- **HPE Security Bulletin Library:** [https[:]//support.hpe.com/connect/s/securitybulletinlibrary?language=en_US]
- **Canadian Centre for Cyber Security:** [https[:]//www.cyber.gc.ca/en/alerts-advisories/hpe-security-advisory-av26-305]