CVE-2007-1447 in BrightStor ARCserve Backup
Summary
by MITRE
The Tape Engine in CA (formerly Computer Associates) BrightStor ARCserve Backup 11.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via certain RPC procedure arguments, which result in memory corruption, a different vulnerability than CVE-2006-6076.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1447 affects the Tape Engine component within CA BrightStor ARCserve Backup version 11.5 and earlier systems. This represents a critical security flaw that exists within the remote procedure call (RPC) implementation of the backup software's tape management functionality. The vulnerability specifically manifests when certain RPC procedure arguments are processed, creating conditions that lead to memory corruption within the application's execution environment.
This memory corruption vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and parameter handling within the RPC interface of the Tape Engine module. When remote attackers submit specially crafted RPC procedure arguments, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before processing them within memory structures. The flaw creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory locations through buffer overflows or other memory manipulation techniques that can result in arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it potentially enables remote code execution capabilities that could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to backup systems. This represents a significant risk for organizations relying on BrightStor ARCserve Backup for their data protection infrastructure, as compromise of the backup system could lead to complete system takeover or data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects systems where the Tape Engine service is accessible over the network, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where backup systems are often exposed to various network access points.
The technical characteristics of this vulnerability align with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. These classifications indicate that the flaw involves memory access violations that can be exploited through improper input handling. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability would map to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1190 for exploit public-facing application and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the compromised system.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates that address the RPC argument validation issues in the Tape Engine component. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of the backup systems to untrusted networks, while monitoring should be implemented to detect suspicious RPC activity patterns. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other backup and data protection systems, as the underlying architecture patterns that create these vulnerabilities are commonly found across similar enterprise backup solutions. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patches in controlled environments before deployment to production systems to ensure no regressions occur in backup operations.