CVE-2018-11077 in vSphere Data Protection
Summary
by MITRE
'getlogs' utility in Dell EMC Avamar Server versions 7.2.0, 7.2.1, 7.3.0, 7.3.1, 7.4.0, 7.4.1, 7.5.0, 7.5.1 and 18.1 and Dell EMC Integrated Data Protection Appliance (IDPA) versions 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 is affected by an OS command injection vulnerability. A malicious Avamar admin user may potentially be able to execute arbitrary commands under root privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2023
The CVE-2018-11077 vulnerability represents a critical operating system command injection flaw within Dell EMC Avamar Server and Integrated Data Protection Appliance products. This vulnerability specifically affects the 'getlogs' utility, which is designed to collect system logs for diagnostic purposes. The flaw exists in multiple versions of both Avamar Server and IDPA appliances, spanning from version 7.2.0 through 7.5.1 for Avamar Server and versions 2.0 through 2.2 for IDPA. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the getlogs utility, allowing authenticated administrative users to inject malicious commands that execute with root privileges. This presents a severe security risk as it enables privilege escalation from administrative user level to full system root access, effectively compromising the entire appliance infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-77, which specifically addresses Command Injection in software systems. The flaw occurs when the getlogs utility fails to properly sanitize user inputs before incorporating them into system commands, creating an environment where maliciously crafted input can be interpreted and executed as shell commands. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can leverage their administrative access to construct command sequences that bypass normal security controls and execute arbitrary code with the highest system privileges. The impact extends beyond simple command execution as the root-level access enables attackers to modify system files, install backdoors, manipulate backup data, and potentially compromise the entire backup infrastructure. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically focusing on the execution of system commands through legitimate administrative tools.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-11077 is substantial for organizations relying on Dell EMC backup solutions, as it provides a complete compromise path for malicious actors who have gained administrative access to the system. Once exploited, attackers can manipulate backup operations, access sensitive data stored in backup repositories, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for attacking other network segments. The vulnerability affects organizations with multiple versions of Dell EMC products, creating widespread exposure across different deployment scenarios including enterprise data centers and distributed backup environments. The risk is particularly elevated because the attack requires only administrative privileges, which are often more accessible than root-level credentials in typical enterprise environments. Organizations may face regulatory compliance violations, data breaches, and significant operational disruption if this vulnerability is exploited in production environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-11077 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Dell EMC products to the latest available security updates from Dell. Organizations should implement strict access controls and principle of least privilege for administrative accounts, ensuring that only essential personnel have administrative access to backup systems. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative activities can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all affected systems and ensure proper patch management processes are in place. Additionally, organizations should implement logging and monitoring of system command executions to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and secure coding practices, particularly for utilities that interact with system-level operations and require elevated privileges to function properly.