CVE-2017-6403 in NetBackup
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Veritas NetBackup Before 8.0 and NetBackup Appliance Before 3.0. NetBackup Cloud Storage Service uses a hardcoded username and password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6403 represents a critical security flaw in Veritas NetBackup and NetBackup Appliance products prior to version 8.0 and 3.0 respectively. This issue stems from the improper implementation of authentication mechanisms within the NetBackup Cloud Storage Service component, which incorporates hard-coded credentials that remain unchanged across deployments. The presence of hardcoded credentials in enterprise backup solutions creates a fundamental weakness that directly violates security best practices and industry standards. Organizations implementing these versions face significant exposure risks as the hardcoded authentication information becomes a prime target for attackers seeking unauthorized access to backup infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the inclusion of static username and password combinations within the software binaries or configuration files of the NetBackup Cloud Storage Service. These credentials are typically embedded during the development phase and cannot be modified or rotated through standard administrative procedures. This approach fundamentally contradicts the principle of least privilege and secure credential management practices established in cybersecurity frameworks. The hardcoded nature of these credentials means they are accessible to anyone with sufficient access to examine the software components, potentially including malicious actors who exploit other vulnerabilities to gain system access. This flaw specifically aligns with CWE-798, which categorizes the use of hardcoded credentials as a significant security weakness that should never be implemented in production systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with persistent credentials that can be leveraged across multiple systems and environments. Once an attacker discovers these hardcoded credentials, they can access backup data repositories, potentially compromising entire backup infrastructures and undermining the integrity of disaster recovery processes. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where NetBackup systems manage critical data backups for business continuity. Attackers can exploit these credentials to perform unauthorized data exfiltration, modify backup configurations, or even establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers legitimate credentials, and T1566, which involves credential harvesting, making it a particularly dangerous threat vector for organizations relying on traditional backup solutions.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, including immediate deployment of patches and updates to versions 8.0 and 3.0 respectively. System administrators must conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all affected NetBackup installations and ensure proper credential rotation procedures are implemented. The remediation process should include replacing hardcoded credentials with dynamically generated authentication tokens or implementing robust key management systems that align with NIST SP 800-57 guidelines for cryptographic key management. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of credential compromise, while establishing continuous monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that the hardcoded credential issue has been properly resolved and that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the backup infrastructure.