CVE-2018-11159 in DR Series Disk Backup
Summary
by MITRE
Quest DR Series Disk Backup software version before 4.0.3.1 allows command injection (issue 17 of 46).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2023
The CVE-2018-11159 vulnerability affects Quest DR Series Disk Backup software versions prior to 4.0.3.1, representing a critical command injection flaw that exposes organizations to significant operational risks. This vulnerability resides within the software's handling of user-supplied input, specifically in how it processes commands that should be treated as data rather than executable code. The issue manifests as a failure to properly sanitize or validate input parameters, allowing attackers to inject malicious commands that execute with the privileges of the affected software process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic command injection weakness where the software fails to properly escape or quote user input before incorporating it into system commands. This flaw enables an attacker to manipulate the software's behavior by injecting operating system commands through legitimate input fields, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution on the underlying system. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88, which specifically address command injection vulnerabilities where user-controllable data is improperly integrated into command strings. The affected software's architecture appears to lack proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms, creating an attack surface where malicious payloads can be executed with elevated privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to backup and disaster recovery operations, as the DR Series software typically runs with administrative privileges and has access to critical system resources and data. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain complete control over the backup server, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, or disruption of backup operations. The impact extends beyond immediate system compromise to include potential lateral movement within the network, as backup servers often serve as central points for data access and system recovery. The vulnerability's presence in a backup solution creates particular concern because backup systems are often overlooked in security assessments and may contain sensitive data from multiple systems within an organization.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to Quest DR Series Disk Backup version 4.0.3.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this command injection vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened around backup systems to limit potential attack vectors, while monitoring should be implemented to detect suspicious command execution patterns. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their backup infrastructure to identify similar issues in other backup solutions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, highlighting the multi-stage attack patterns that can emerge from such flaws. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies and input validation controls to prevent similar issues in other software components. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be reinforced to ensure timely remediation of identified vulnerabilities, particularly in critical infrastructure components such as backup and recovery systems that serve as primary targets for cyber adversaries.