CVE-2011-3157 in Data Protector for Personal Computers
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in HP Data Protector Notebook Extension 6.20 and Data Protector for Personal Computers 7.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors, aka ZDI-CAN-1225.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3157 represents a critical security flaw within HP Data Protector Notebook Extension version 6.20 and Data Protector for Personal Computers version 7.0. This issue falls under the category of unspecified remote code execution vulnerabilities, which are particularly dangerous due to their potential for widespread exploitation across networked environments. The vulnerability was catalogued under the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) as CAN-1225, indicating its classification as a previously unknown security flaw that had not yet been publicly disclosed or patched by the vendor at the time of discovery.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies in its ability to permit remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring authentication or local access privileges. This characteristic places the vulnerability squarely within the domain of privilege escalation and remote exploitation techniques, making it highly attractive to malicious actors seeking to compromise enterprise networks. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways may exist for exploitation, potentially including buffer overflows, format string vulnerabilities, or other memory corruption issues that could be leveraged to gain unauthorized control over target systems.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple code execution capabilities. Organizations utilizing HP Data Protector solutions for backup and recovery operations face significant risks when this vulnerability exists within their environment, as attackers could potentially access sensitive backup data, disrupt critical backup operations, or use the compromised systems as launch points for further attacks. The vulnerability affects systems that are typically considered secure due to their role in data protection, making the exploitation consequences particularly severe for enterprise security postures.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to remote code execution and privilege escalation. Attackers could leverage this flaw to establish persistent access, move laterally within networks, or exfiltrate backup data that often contains sensitive organizational information. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution issue also places it within CWE-119, which encompasses weaknesses related to memory safety and buffer overflows, indicating that proper input validation and memory management practices were insufficient in the affected software implementations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying available vendor patches, disabling unnecessary network services, and implementing network segmentation to limit the potential attack surface. Security teams should also monitor for suspicious network activity and consider conducting vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running the affected software versions. The remediation process requires careful planning to ensure that backup operations remain functional while addressing the security vulnerability, as the affected systems are critical components of enterprise data protection infrastructure. Additionally, organizations should review their incident response procedures to ensure preparedness for potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.