CVE-2015-6550 in NetBackup
Summary
by MITRE
bpcd in Veritas NetBackup 7.x through 7.5.0.7, 7.6.0.x through 7.6.0.4, 7.6.1.x through 7.6.1.2, and 7.7.x before 7.7.2 and NetBackup Appliance through 2.5.4, 2.6.0.x through 2.6.0.4, 2.6.1.x through 2.6.1.2, and 2.7.x before 2.7.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via crafted input.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6550 affects Veritas NetBackup and NetBackup Appliance products, representing a critical remote code execution flaw in the bpcd service component. This issue exists across multiple version ranges including NetBackup 7.x through 7.5.0.7, 7.6.0.x through 7.6.0.4, 7.6.1.x through 7.6.1.2, and 7.7.x before 7.7.2, along with corresponding NetBackup Appliance versions. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems through carefully crafted input parameters, fundamentally compromising the security posture of backup infrastructure. This vulnerability directly impacts organizations relying on Veritas NetBackup for their data protection strategies, as it provides an attack vector that could lead to complete system compromise and data exfiltration.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the bpcd service, which processes commands from remote clients without proper sanitization of user-supplied data. When malicious input is received through the network interface, the service fails to properly validate or sanitize the data before processing, allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the bpcd process. This represents a classic command injection vulnerability where the flaw occurs at the input handling level rather than in the execution phase, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without authentication. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-78 categories from the Common Weakness Enumeration, specifically addressing improper input validation and command injection flaws that allow arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6550 extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with potential access to entire backup environments and the sensitive data they contain. Organizations using affected NetBackup versions face risks including unauthorized data access, backup data manipulation, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within networks. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can leverage this flaw from outside the organization's network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for enterprises that expose backup infrastructure to external networks. Additionally, the broad version range affected indicates that this vulnerability has been present for an extended period, leaving many organizations exposed to potential exploitation. The attack surface includes not just the primary backup servers but also any systems that rely on NetBackup for data protection, potentially affecting critical business operations and compliance requirements.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6550 should focus on immediate patching of affected systems, with organizations prioritizing the installation of Veritas patches released to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the bpcd service ports, particularly limiting access to trusted networks and IP addresses. Monitoring for suspicious network activity related to backup services should be enhanced, with security teams implementing intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected NetBackup and NetBackup Appliance installations, ensuring that all systems within their environment are properly updated. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version ranges suggests that organizations should consider implementing additional security controls beyond patching, including regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of their backup infrastructure to identify similar weaknesses that may not yet be publicly disclosed.