CVE-2013-4810: HP Multiple Products Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2013-4810 is a remote code execution vulnerability in Hewlett Packard ProCurve Manager (PCM), PCM+, Identity Driven Manager (IDM), and Application Lifecycle Management. Attackers can send specially crafted marshalled objects to certain invoker servlets and run arbitrary code on the host. For teams still running these network and identity management products, the issue matters because successful abuse can give an unauthenticated remote attacker control of the management server and the systems it administers.

Public detail is limited to the products and attack surface named above; confirm exact version ranges, patches, and deployment notes against the vendor advisory before acting.

How it works

The weakness is classified as CWE-94 (code injection). In these HP products the EJBInvokerServlet and JMXInvokerServlet accept serialized (marshalled) Java objects. An attacker who can reach those endpoints can supply a malicious object that the server deserializes and processes, leading to execution of attacker-chosen code in the context of the application service.

No further exploit mechanics, payloads, or preconditions are provided in the available record. Treat any internet- or network-reachable instance of the listed invoker servlets as potentially exploitable until the vendor update is applied and the configuration is verified.

Am I affected? How to find it in your systems

These components typically run on management servers used for HP ProCurve/Aruba-style network administration, identity policy, or application lifecycle functions. They are often installed on Windows or Linux hosts inside data-center or network-operations segments and may expose HTTP/HTTPS management ports.

• Inventory hosts and application catalogs for “ProCurve Manager”, “PCM+”, “Identity Driven Manager”, “IDM”, and HP Application Lifecycle Management installations.
• Confirm whether the EJBInvokerServlet or JMXInvokerServlet are deployed and reachable (commonly under the application’s servlet path). Review web-server or application-server configuration and any reverse-proxy rules that forward traffic to them.
• Cross-check installed versions and patch levels against the vendor advisory; do not rely on version numbers from secondary sources.
• Telemetry signs of exploitation are not detailed in the public record. Look for unexpected process creation, unusual Java deserialization activity, or anomalous requests targeting invoker servlet URLs in web and application logs. Correlate with subsequent lateral movement or privilege changes on the management host.

How to remediate

Patch first. Apply the updates published by Hewlett Packard for the affected products exactly as described in the vendor advisory. CISA’s required action is to apply updates per vendor instructions.

• After patching, verify that the invoker servlets are no longer vulnerable or have been removed/disabled if the vendor guidance permits.
• Restrict management interfaces to dedicated administrative networks and require strong authentication and encryption for all remaining access paths.
• Remove or disable unused management components and servlets to shrink the attack surface of this product class.
• Re-scan the host and review application logs to confirm the update took effect and that no residual vulnerable endpoints remain exposed.

If you can't patch immediately

Until the vendor update can be installed, reduce exposure with compensating controls appropriate to remote code-execution flaws in management servers:

• Segment the affected hosts so they are unreachable from untrusted networks; allow only jump-hosts or bastion access from a tightly controlled admin tier.
• Block or restrict external and lateral access to the ports and URL paths that serve EJBInvokerServlet and JMXInvokerServlet at the firewall or reverse proxy.
• If a web application firewall is in place, apply virtual-patching rules that reject suspicious serialized-object traffic to those servlets; tune carefully to avoid breaking legitimate management functions.
• Disable the invoker servlets or the broader management features that depend on them if operationally feasible and supported by the vendor documentation.
• Increase monitoring on the host: alert on new processes spawned by the application service account, unexpected outbound connections, and any authentication or configuration changes.

If your data may have been exposed

Actively exploited remote-code-execution vulnerabilities on management platforms frequently precede broader compromise and data theft. Known ransomware use of this CVE is not documented, but any confirmed intrusion should be treated as a potential breach. Contain the host, preserve logs and memory images, and follow your incident-response process. As a quick additional check, you can run a free exposure scan of your email addresses against known breach data sets to see whether credentials or personal information have already appeared in public dumps.