CVE-2015-1924 in Tivoli Storage Manager Fastback
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the server in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack 6.1 before 6.1.12 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-1925, CVE-2015-1929, CVE-2015-1930, CVE-2015-1948, CVE-2015-1953, CVE-2015-1954, CVE-2015-1962, CVE-2015-1963, CVE-2015-1964, and CVE-2015-1965.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1924 represents a stack-based buffer overflow condition within the server component of IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack version 6.1 prior to 6.1.12. This critical security flaw resides in the daemon process responsible for managing storage backup operations, creating a potential entry point for malicious actors to exploit remote access capabilities. The vulnerability specifically affects the server-side implementation where insufficient input validation occurs during processing of incoming network requests, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged to crash the service daemon.
From a technical perspective, the buffer overflow manifests when the FastBack server receives malformed input data through network communication channels without proper bounds checking. The stack-based nature of this vulnerability indicates that the overflow occurs in the program's stack memory space, where local variables and function call information are stored. This particular flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate memory layout by sending specially crafted data packets that exceed the allocated buffer size, potentially causing the daemon to terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires network connectivity to the affected FastBack server, making it accessible from external systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be exploited to create persistent denial of service conditions that compromise the availability of critical backup infrastructure. Organizations relying on IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for data protection and recovery operations face significant risk when this vulnerability remains unpatched, as attackers can repeatedly crash the backup daemon to prevent legitimate backup operations from completing successfully. The daemon crash resulting from this vulnerability directly affects business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities, potentially leaving organizations without reliable backup solutions during critical system failures or data loss events.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1924 should prioritize immediate patch deployment to IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack 6.1.12 or later versions, which contain the necessary code fixes addressing the buffer overflow condition. Network segmentation and access control measures can provide additional defense-in-depth layers by restricting direct network access to FastBack server components, particularly through implementing firewall rules that limit communication to trusted administrative networks only. Monitoring and logging of network traffic to FastBack services should be enhanced to detect anomalous patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems capable of identifying suspicious network behavior associated with buffer overflow exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow classification and represents a potential technique within the ATT&CK framework's execution and persistence domains, particularly relevant to the T1489 service stop and T1070 indicator removal tactics that could be employed by adversaries seeking to maintain control over compromised systems.