CVE-2014-7288 in Encryption Management Server
Summary
by MITRE
Symantec PGP Universal Server and Encryption Management Server before 3.3.2 MP7 allow remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary shell commands via a crafted command line in a database-backup restore action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7288 represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting Symantec PGP Universal Server and Encryption Management Server versions prior to 3.3.2 MP7. This vulnerability resides within the database backup restore functionality, which is a core administrative feature designed to manage encryption key storage and recovery operations. The flaw allows authenticated administrators to inject malicious shell commands through a specially crafted command line parameter during the backup restoration process, effectively bypassing normal access controls and potentially granting full system compromise capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and command execution handling within the backup restore functionality. When administrators perform database restoration operations, the system accepts user-supplied parameters that are subsequently passed to underlying shell commands without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms. This design flaw creates a classic command injection vulnerability where malicious input can be interpreted and executed as shell commands by the operating system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authenticated administrative access, which is often more readily available than unauthenticated attack vectors. The flaw maps directly to CWE-78, which specifically addresses OS command injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into shell commands without proper validation or escaping.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on Symantec PGP servers for encryption management. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within network environments. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, install backdoors, modify encryption keys, or access sensitive encrypted data. The authenticated nature of the attack means that even if organizations implement strong perimeter security, internal administrative accounts remain vulnerable to exploitation. This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where administrative accounts are frequently targeted.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches for Symantec PGP Universal Server and Encryption Management Server versions 3.3.2 MP7 and later. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to administrative interfaces and database backup operations. Additionally, organizations should enforce principle of least privilege for administrative accounts and implement strict monitoring of backup restoration activities. Regular security assessments should include testing for similar command injection vulnerabilities in other encryption management systems and backup solutions. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and secure coding practices in administrative interfaces, particularly those handling system-level operations such as database restoration and backup management functions.