CVE-2017-6408 in NetBackup
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Veritas NetBackup 8.0 and earlier and NetBackup Appliance 3.0 and earlier. A local-privilege-escalation race condition in pbx_exchange can occur when a local user connects to a socket before permissions are secured.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6408 represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw affecting Veritas NetBackup and NetBackup Appliance products across multiple versions. This issue stems from a race condition inherent in the pbx_exchange component that governs communication between processes within the backup infrastructure. The flaw manifests when a local user exploits timing dependencies in socket connection establishment, creating a window where system permissions have not yet been properly enforced. This race condition creates a security boundary violation that allows unauthorized users to escalate their privileges from standard user level to elevated system access, potentially compromising the entire backup environment and the sensitive data it manages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic race condition attack pattern where the timing of process execution and permission setting creates an exploitable window. When pbx_exchange handles socket connections, it fails to properly synchronize access controls during the connection establishment phase, allowing a malicious local user to establish a connection before the system has fully secured the necessary permissions. This timing discrepancy enables the attacker to manipulate the communication channel and potentially execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which specifically addresses race conditions that can lead to privilege escalation and security boundary violations.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-6408 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of backup systems that often contain highly sensitive corporate data. Organizations relying on Veritas NetBackup solutions face significant risks when this vulnerability is exploited, as attackers could gain access to backup repositories containing critical business information, customer data, and system credentials. The attack vector requires local system access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users have legitimate administrative access or where privilege escalation could occur through compromised accounts. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and can enable attackers to move laterally within networks by accessing backup systems that often serve as critical infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6408 should focus on immediate patching of affected systems, as Veritas has released updates addressing this specific race condition. Organizations must implement strict access controls and monitor for unauthorized local access to backup systems, as the vulnerability requires local system presence to exploit. Network segmentation and privilege management policies should be reinforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper synchronization mechanisms in security-critical components and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through race conditions and timing attacks. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual socket connection patterns and permission changes that might indicate exploitation attempts, as these systems often serve as targets for advanced persistent threats due to their access to valuable backup data.