CVE-2011-3158 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-1226.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3158 represents a critical security flaw in 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 without requiring local system access. The vulnerability was catalogued under the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) as CAN-1226, indicating it was identified as a previously unknown security weakness that could be leveraged by malicious actors for unauthorized system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the HP Data Protector software components. Attackers can exploit this weakness through unspecified vectors that likely involve crafted data inputs or network communications that are not properly filtered or authenticated before processing. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability may be present in multiple communication channels or data handling processes within the software, making it particularly challenging to defend against and potentially more widespread in its impact. This type of vulnerability typically resides in the application layer where user-supplied data is processed without adequate security controls, creating pathways for malicious code injection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or system disruption, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This means that an attacker could potentially gain full control over the compromised machine, install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, or use the system as a launch point for further attacks within a network. The vulnerability affects endpoints running the specified versions of HP Data Protector software, which are commonly used for backup and recovery operations in enterprise environments, making the potential impact even more severe. Organizations relying on these backup solutions could face complete system compromise and data loss if exploited successfully.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by HP to address the root cause of the vulnerability. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems and ensure that all instances of the vulnerable software are updated to versions that contain proper input validation and sanitization controls. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit potential attack surfaces, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read conditions, and may also relate to CWE-77, which addresses command injection flaws, though specific categorization requires detailed analysis of the exact implementation. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege and regular security assessments to reduce the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in their environments.