CVE-2005-0491 in Arkeia Server Backup
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in Knox Arkeia Server Backup 5.3.x allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long type 77 request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0491 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the Knox Arkeia Server Backup 5.3.x software implementation. This security weakness specifically manifests when the system processes incoming network requests designated with type 77, which are part of the backup server communication protocol. The buffer overflow occurs due to inadequate input validation and bounds checking mechanisms within the application's request handling code, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to gain unauthorized system access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a classic stack-based buffer overflow pattern where an attacker crafts a malicious network request containing an excessively long payload specifically formatted as type 77. When the vulnerable backup server processes this malformed request, the excessive data overflows the allocated stack buffer space, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data. This memory corruption can be manipulated to redirect program execution flow to attacker-controlled code, enabling arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected service account. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which categorizes stack-based buffer overflow conditions as a fundamental memory safety issue.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations relying on Knox Arkeia Server Backup 5.3.x for their data protection infrastructure. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it allows unauthorized access to backup systems that often contain sensitive organizational data. The successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of backup operations that are critical for business continuity. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability exists in network-facing backup services, and the lack of authentication requirements makes it accessible to any external party capable of sending network requests to the affected system.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches that address the buffer overflow condition in the backup server software. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to backup server ports and services to only trusted administrative networks. Additionally, monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect anomalous network traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper memory management practices in network services, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1078.004 for valid accounts, as exploitation typically requires gaining system-level privileges and executing malicious code through legitimate service processes. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar memory corruption vulnerabilities in other backup and storage management systems.