CVE-2016-7399 in NetBackup Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
scripts/license.pl in Veritas NetBackup Appliance 2.6.0.x through 2.6.0.4, 2.6.1.x through 2.6.1.2, 2.7.x through 2.7.3, and 3.0.x allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the hostName parameter to appliancews/getLicense.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7399 represents a critical command injection flaw within Veritas NetBackup Appliance software versions spanning multiple release branches. This vulnerability exists in the scripts/license.pl component and specifically affects appliances running versions 2.6.0.x through 2.6.0.4, 2.6.1.x through 2.6.1.2, 2.7.x through 2.7.3, and 3.0.x. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system by manipulating the hostName parameter in the appliancews/getLicense API endpoint, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these backup and recovery solutions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the license script. When the hostName parameter is processed through the appliancews/getLicense endpoint, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into system commands. This oversight creates a classic command injection vulnerability where maliciously crafted shell metacharacters can be interpreted by the underlying operating system, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected service. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected NetBackup appliance. This includes the ability to access sensitive backup data, modify backup configurations, escalate privileges, and potentially use the compromised appliance as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. Organizations utilizing these appliances face risks of data breaches, compliance violations, and disruption of critical backup operations. The vulnerability affects enterprise backup infrastructure, which often contains highly sensitive and valuable data, making the potential impact severe for organizations in regulated industries such as healthcare, finance, and government sectors.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches and updates to the affected NetBackup appliance versions. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to the appliance's API endpoints, restrict access to the appliance's management interfaces, and monitor network traffic for suspicious activity related to the vulnerable endpoint. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting this specific vulnerability. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability would likely trigger alerts under standards such as iso 27001, nist 800-53, and pci dss requirements for vulnerability management and access control. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing command injection and code injection weaknesses respectively, and could be mapped to ATT&CK techniques including T1059.001 for command and script interpreter and T1078 for valid accounts for maintaining persistence within compromised environments.