CVE-2015-6552 in NetBackup
Summary
by MITRE
The management-services protocol implementation 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 make arbitrary RPC calls via unspecified vectors.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6552 represents a critical security flaw within the management services protocol implementation of Veritas NetBackup software across multiple version ranges. This issue affects both the core NetBackup server products and the NetBackup Appliance implementations, creating a widespread attack surface that could potentially compromise backup infrastructure systems. The vulnerability specifically resides in how the system processes remote procedure calls, allowing malicious actors to execute arbitrary code remotely without proper authentication or authorization mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper access control within the RPC handling components of the NetBackup management services. Attackers can exploit this weakness through unspecified vectors that likely involve crafting specially formatted RPC requests that bypass normal security checks. This flaw falls under the category of unauthorized arbitrary code execution, which is classified as CWE-772 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. The vulnerability essentially allows an attacker to invoke any available RPC method with the privileges of the service account, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6552 is substantial as it directly affects backup and recovery systems that are critical to enterprise data protection infrastructure. Organizations utilizing affected NetBackup versions face the risk of unauthorized data access, data manipulation, or complete system takeover. The attack vector does not require authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with network access to the affected systems. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote command execution and T1078 for valid accounts usage, as it enables attackers to leverage legitimate system interfaces for malicious purposes. The implications extend beyond simple system compromise, as backup systems often contain sensitive organizational data and may be used to establish persistence within network environments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates released to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation should be employed to restrict access to NetBackup management services, particularly limiting exposure to trusted networks only. Additionally, implementing strict firewall rules to block unnecessary RPC ports and monitoring for unusual RPC activity can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and access control in enterprise backup systems, as these components often serve as critical attack vectors due to their privileged execution contexts and network accessibility. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for RPC call patterns that match the vulnerability characteristics.