CVE-2005-2212 in Backup Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Backup Manager 0.5.8a creates an archive repository with world readable and writable permissions, which allows attackers to modify or read the repository.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2212 affects Backup Manager version 0.5.8a and represents a critical access control flaw that stems from improper permission handling during archive repository creation. This issue manifests when the backup manager software generates archive repositories without establishing appropriate security controls, resulting in repositories that are accessible to all system users with both read and write privileges. The flaw directly violates fundamental security principles by creating a situation where unauthorized users can manipulate backup data, potentially leading to data corruption, information disclosure, or complete compromise of backup integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the software's file system interaction logic where repository directories are created with default permissions that lack proper access restrictions. When Backup Manager 0.5.8a initializes an archive repository, it fails to explicitly set restrictive permissions such as 700 (read-write-execute for owner only) or similar secure configurations. Instead, the system defaults to creating directories with world-readable and world-writable permissions, typically represented as 777 or equivalent. This misconfiguration creates an attack surface where any user account on the system can access, modify, or delete backup files stored within these repositories.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on Backup Manager for data protection. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive backup data, potentially including confidential business information, personal data, or system configurations. The ability to modify backup repositories allows threat actors to corrupt backup files, creating potential data loss scenarios or enabling more sophisticated attacks such as data poisoning or ransomware operations that target backup systems. The vulnerability also affects system integrity since backups are often considered trusted sources of data recovery, making compromised backups particularly dangerous.
The flaw aligns with CWE-732, which specifically addresses Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resources, and represents a classic example of inadequate privilege separation in software applications. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1486 for Data Encrypted for Ransomware and T1070 for Indicator Removal on Host. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be automated, making it attractive to threat actors seeking quick gains. Organizations using this backup software face increased risk of data breaches, compliance violations, and operational disruption when such weak permissions are present in backup storage locations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate manual permission correction of existing backup repositories, implementing proper access control mechanisms within the software, and establishing automated checks to ensure secure permission settings during repository creation. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to backup directories. The most effective long-term solution involves updating to a patched version of Backup Manager or implementing alternative backup solutions that properly enforce access controls. Organizations should also conduct regular security audits of backup systems and establish policies requiring secure permission settings for all backup storage locations.