CVE-2018-11149 in DR Series Disk Backup
Summary
by MITRE
Quest DR Series Disk Backup software version before 4.0.3.1 allows command injection (issue 7 of 46).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11149 affects Quest DR Series Disk Backup software versions prior to 4.0.3.1 and represents a critical command injection flaw that resides within the software's handling of user-supplied input. This vulnerability manifests as issue number seven within a larger set of forty-six identified problems, indicating it is part of a broader security landscape where multiple weaknesses exist in the product's architecture. The software operates within the backup and disaster recovery domain, making it a critical component in enterprise environments where data protection and system integrity are paramount. Command injection vulnerabilities typically occur when an application incorporates untrusted data into system commands without proper validation or sanitization, creating opportunities for malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the Quest DR Series software, particularly in how it processes user-provided parameters that are subsequently used in system command execution contexts. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets interpreted as system commands rather than benign data, allowing them to bypass normal access controls and execute unauthorized operations on the backup server. This flaw directly maps to CWE-77 which defines command injection as the improper handling of externally supplied input that is interpreted as commands by the operating system. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that backup systems often operate with elevated privileges and have access to sensitive organizational data, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for enterprise security posture.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-11149 extends beyond simple unauthorized command execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate backup operations, access sensitive data, and potentially establish persistent access within the network. Organizations using affected versions of Quest DR Series software face risks including data exfiltration, system compromise, and disruption of backup operations that could result in complete data loss scenarios. The vulnerability's presence in a disaster recovery system creates a particularly dangerous situation where attackers could target backup infrastructure to prevent legitimate recovery operations, effectively creating a double threat to organizational resilience. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, and T1078 which addresses valid accounts, as attackers could leverage compromised systems to gain additional access or execute commands through legitimate administrative interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch deployment to upgrade to Quest DR Series version 4.0.3.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to prevent command injection attacks. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to backup systems, enforce principle of least privilege for backup operations, and conduct thorough security assessments of their backup infrastructure. Additional defensive measures include implementing input validation controls, monitoring system logs for suspicious command executions, and establishing robust backup integrity verification processes. Security teams should also consider implementing network detection capabilities to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain detailed audit trails of backup system activities. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing backup workflows while maintaining the security improvements necessary to protect against this specific command injection vulnerability.