CVE-2015-6867 in Vertica
Summary
by MITRE
The vertica-udx-zygote process in HP Vertica 7.1.1 UDx does not require authentication, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted packet, aka ZDI-CAN-2914.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6867 affects HP Vertica 7.1.1 UDx systems where the vertica-udx-zygote process operates without mandatory authentication mechanisms. This process serves as a critical component in the database's user-defined extension architecture, handling external function execution and process management. The absence of authentication requirements creates a significant security gap that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized access and execute malicious commands within the database environment. The vulnerability specifically impacts systems where the zygote process is configured to accept external connections without proper credential validation, making it susceptible to remote exploitation.
This flaw represents a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems. The technical implementation of the vertica-udx-zygote process fails to validate incoming connection requests, allowing attackers to craft malicious packets that are processed without verification of the sender's identity. The vulnerability operates at the network level where the process listens for incoming connections, and the lack of authentication checks means that any remote attacker who can establish network connectivity to the affected port can potentially execute arbitrary code. This represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor security design in the database extension framework.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution to encompass full system compromise capabilities within the database environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, access sensitive data, modify database contents, or even use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The remote nature of the exploit means that adversaries do not require physical access or local network presence to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in environments where database systems are exposed to external networks. This vulnerability directly enables techniques categorized under the ATT&CK framework's execution and privilege escalation domains, allowing adversaries to establish persistent access and maintain control over the compromised system.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to the affected database ports, deployment of firewall rules to limit connections to trusted IP addresses, and consideration of disabling unnecessary external access to the vertica-udx-zygote process. The recommended approach involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates as soon as they become available, while also implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious connection patterns or unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify other potential authentication bypass vulnerabilities within their database infrastructure and ensure that all database processes follow proper authentication protocols. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to maintain ongoing protection against similar issues in the database environment.