CVE-2015-1929 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-2015-1924, CVE-2015-1925, 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-2015-1929 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 flaw exists in the daemon process that handles remote connections and processing requests from clients, creating a potential avenue for remote attackers to exploit the system. The vulnerability specifically affects the server-side implementation where insufficient input validation occurs during processing of received data, allowing malicious actors to manipulate memory layout through crafted input sequences.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow stems from improper bounds checking within the server's memory management routines. When the FastBack server processes incoming network requests, it fails to adequately validate the size and content of data buffers before copying data into fixed-size stack arrays. This allows an attacker to overflow the allocated stack space and potentially overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and stack canaries. The vulnerability manifests as a denial of service condition where the daemon process crashes due to corrupted memory state, effectively rendering the backup service unavailable to legitimate users.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for their data protection infrastructure. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can potentially disrupt critical backup operations without requiring local system access or credentials. The denial of service impact directly affects business continuity since backup services are essential for data recovery and disaster recovery operations. Organizations using vulnerable versions face potential data loss scenarios if backup services become unavailable, combined with the operational overhead of system maintenance and patching activities.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, specifically targeting service stop or denial of service through daemon crashes. The attack vector involves remote network communication with the FastBack server, making it accessible from external networks if the service is exposed. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability operates independently from other related CVEs in the same vulnerability family, indicating distinct code paths and implementation flaws within the software's security architecture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1929 should prioritize immediate patch deployment to IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack version 6.1.12 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to FastBack server components, restricting remote connections to trusted administrative networks only. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns indicating exploitation attempts, implementing intrusion detection systems to detect malformed packets targeting the vulnerable service, and maintaining comprehensive backup and recovery procedures to minimize operational impact during patching operations. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits should be conducted to identify similar memory corruption vulnerabilities in other enterprise storage and backup systems.