CVE-2017-8022 in NetWorker
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in EMC NetWorker (prior to 8.2.4.9, all supported 9.0.x versions, prior to 9.1.1.3, prior to 9.2.0.4). The Server service (nsrd) is affected by a buffer overflow vulnerability. A remote unauthenticated attacker may potentially exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of the software, or cause a denial of service, depending on the target system's platform.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8022 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within EMC NetWorker's Server service component known as nsrd. This issue affects multiple versions of the software including releases prior to 8.2.4.9, all supported 9.0.x versions, and versions before 9.1.1.3 and 9.2.0.4. The buffer overflow occurs in the server service that handles network requests from clients, creating a potential attack vector for remote exploitation. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the nsrd process, which processes incoming network data without proper bounds checking mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to send specially crafted malicious data packets to the affected NetWorker server. When the nsrd service processes these malformed inputs, it fails to properly validate the data length before copying it into fixed-size buffers, resulting in memory corruption. This memory corruption can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations including return addresses and function pointers, enabling arbitrary code execution. The nature of the buffer overflow places this vulnerability squarely within CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions that occur when data is copied into a buffer without proper boundary checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution capabilities to include potential denial of service conditions that can severely disrupt backup operations and data protection workflows. Organizations relying on EMC NetWorker for critical data backup and recovery operations face significant risk of service interruption when this vulnerability is exploited. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can target vulnerable systems from anywhere on the network without requiring prior authentication credentials, making the attack surface particularly dangerous for enterprise environments. Attackers could potentially cause complete system crashes or render backup services unavailable, leading to data loss protection gaps and operational downtime.
The exploitation of CVE-2017-8022 aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to remote code execution and privilege escalation, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to backup servers and potentially move laterally within network environments. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, network segmentation to isolate backup servers, and monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise backup solutions, as these systems often contain sensitive data and serve as critical infrastructure components. Additionally, implementing network access controls and firewall rules to restrict access to NetWorker server services can help reduce the attack surface while patches are deployed. The incident underscores the necessity of regular vulnerability assessments and the implementation of defense-in-depth strategies for protecting critical data protection infrastructure.