CVE-2018-11164 in DR Series Disk Backup
Summary
by MITRE
Quest DR Series Disk Backup software version before 4.0.3.1 allows command injection (issue 22 of 46).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2023
The CVE-2018-11164 vulnerability affects Quest DR Series Disk Backup software versions prior to 4.0.3.1 and represents a critical command injection flaw that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. This vulnerability manifests as a failure in proper input validation and sanitization within the software's command processing mechanisms, allowing malicious actors to inject and execute unauthorized commands through specially crafted inputs. The issue specifically impacts the backup and recovery operations of enterprise data protection systems, potentially compromising the integrity and availability of critical organizational data.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category of Command Injection, which is a well-documented weakness in software applications that fail to properly sanitize user inputs before using them in system commands. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a command execution technique under the T1059.001 sub-technique, where adversaries leverage vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code on target systems. The flaw exists in the software's handling of user-supplied parameters that are directly incorporated into system commands without adequate validation or escaping mechanisms, creating an attack surface where malicious inputs can be interpreted and executed as legitimate system commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized data access. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can potentially gain administrative privileges, modify backup configurations, access sensitive data stored in backup repositories, or even establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The affected Quest DR Series software serves as a critical component in enterprise backup solutions, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to disrupt business continuity operations and compromise the entire data protection strategy of affected organizations.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate patch deployment to version 4.0.3.1 or later, network segmentation to isolate affected systems, and enhanced monitoring of system logs for suspicious command execution patterns. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and implement network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for command injection patterns. The remediation process must include verifying that all user inputs are properly sanitized and that command execution is restricted to authorized administrative users only, following secure coding practices that align with industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework guidelines.