External risk intelligence

H3C IMC Remote Command Execution via Improper JSF ViewState Handling

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 10.0)

CVE-2024-13980

The vulnerability exists in an Intelligent Management Center platform that provides a public-facing web management interface. As a management appliance/portal, it is typically deployed to be accessible over the network to perform administrative tasks, and the specific endpoint is reachable without authentication, making it a high-visibility, internet-exposed surface.

Deserialization

Halo Surface Signal: 5 out of 5 — more likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

This advisory details a critical vulnerability in H3C's Intelligent Management Center affecting its ability to securely handle web requests, potentially allowing unauthorized command execution on affected systems. The issue is present in the management interface and can be exploited without authentication, posing a significant risk if exploited.

Attackers can run commands remotely without logging in.
Critical management systems could be compromised remotely.
Confirm relevance and exposure of the management platform.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests to a web management interface. No authentication is needed to reach the vulnerable component, which is an endpoint used for managing devices. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system.

Attacker can reach the interface over the network.
Vulnerable endpoint is reachable without authentication.
Risk of arbitrary command execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A critical vulnerability in H3C Intelligent Management Center's web interface could allow unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. This could occur when the system is accessible over a network and the specific vulnerable endpoint is reachable.

System commands and execution.
Unauthenticated network requests.
Compromise of management functions.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

The critical remote command execution vulnerability in H3C Intelligent Management Center requires immediate attention, likely falling under the purview of infrastructure or platform teams responsible for managing this core IT system. The first practical step is to identify all instances of the affected technology within your environment, determine their network exposure and business criticality, and then confirm the accountable owner to initiate a risk-based remediation plan.

Ownership: Infrastructure or platform team.
Verify: System reachability and business criticality.
Action: Plan and execute remediation.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is H3C Intelligent Management Center (IMC)?

H3C IMC is a centralized management platform used to monitor and maintain enterprise network infrastructure, such as switches, routers, and other IT devices. It acts as a command-and-control dashboard, offering a web-based interface for administrators to oversee network performance and configuration tasks across their environment.

What is the vulnerability in CVE-2024-13980?

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-502, which involves insecure deserialization or improper handling of data. In this specific case, the software fails to properly validate the javax.faces.ViewState parameter within the JSF framework. This failure allows a remote attacker to manipulate this data and execute unauthorized system commands on the server.

How is the vulnerability triggered?

An attacker triggers this flaw by sending a specially crafted POST request to the specific /byod/index.xhtml endpoint. Because the application does not verify the authenticity of the ViewState parameter, the request is processed in a way that executes malicious commands. This process does not require any valid session cookies or prior authentication to initiate.

Why should I care about my IMC instance?

According to Halo Surface Signal, this platform is often deployed as a public-facing management portal, increasing the likelihood that the vulnerable endpoint is accessible over the network. If your H3C IMC interface is reachable from the internet or even internal untrusted network segments, it presents a significant, unauthenticated entry point for an attacker.

What are the first steps to address this issue?

Begin by auditing your network to locate all active H3C IMC installations. Once identified, evaluate whether these systems are reachable from outside your protected internal network. Identify the administrative team responsible for these platforms and coordinate with them to prioritize these systems for formal patching or the application of vendor-provided security configurations.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.