CVE-2009-4183 in OpenView Storage Data Protector
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in HP OpenView Storage Data Protector 6.00 and 6.10 allows local users to obtain unspecified "access" via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4183 affects HP OpenView Storage Data Protector versions 6.00 and 6.10, representing a critical security flaw that enables local attackers to gain unspecified access to system resources. This issue resides within the storage data protection software that organizations rely upon for backup and recovery operations, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where data integrity and system security are paramount. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors suggests that the underlying flaw could manifest through multiple attack pathways, complicating both detection and remediation efforts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability appears to stem from inadequate access controls or privilege management within the OpenView Storage Data Protector application. As a local privilege escalation vulnerability, it allows attackers who already have access to the system to potentially elevate their privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and system functions. This flaw operates at the operating system level where standard user accounts could potentially exploit the vulnerability to obtain elevated permissions, undermining the security model of the protection software. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to privilege escalation and access control weaknesses indicates that it likely involves improper validation of user permissions or insufficient sandboxing mechanisms within the application's execution environment.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations utilizing HP OpenView Storage Data Protector for their backup and recovery operations. The local access requirement means that attackers must first compromise a system account or gain physical access to the machine, but once successful, the impact could be severe as it potentially allows for data exfiltration, system manipulation, or further lateral movement within the network. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to access backup data, modify backup configurations, or potentially disrupt critical backup operations that organizations depend upon for disaster recovery. The impact extends beyond immediate data compromise to include potential service disruption and regulatory compliance violations that could result in substantial financial and reputational damage.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through official HP security patches and updates that address the underlying privilege escalation flaw in the Storage Data Protector software. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and privilege escalation activities within their backup environments. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current security patches and conducting regular vulnerability assessments of critical infrastructure software. Additional mitigations include implementing strict access controls, minimizing local user privileges, and ensuring that backup systems are properly isolated from general network access. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for suspicious privilege escalation activities and unauthorized access patterns that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this as a privilege escalation technique, specifically leveraging local system vulnerabilities to gain elevated access rights.