CVE-2018-11180 in DR Series Disk Backup
Summary
by MITRE
Quest DR Series Disk Backup software version before 4.0.3.1 allows command injection (issue 38 of 46).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2023
The CVE-2018-11180 vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw within Quest DR Series Disk Backup software, specifically affecting versions prior to 4.0.3.1. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of insecure input handling and represents a severe security weakness that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. The vulnerability was identified as part of a larger set of 46 issues within the software, with this particular flaw being classified as the 38th in the sequence, indicating it was among the more significant security concerns discovered during the assessment of the backup solution.
The technical flaw manifests in the software's improper validation and sanitization of user-supplied input parameters that are subsequently incorporated into system commands without adequate protection mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious input that gets processed and executed as shell commands on the underlying operating system. This command injection occurs within the backup and recovery processes where the software handles user-provided data for disk backup operations, allowing unauthorized command execution with the privileges of the affected service account. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input filtering and improper command construction practices that violate fundamental security principles for preventing code injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it provides attackers with potential full system compromise capabilities. An attacker who successfully exploits this command injection flaw could gain unauthorized access to the backup server, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system disruption, or further lateral movement within the network. The backup infrastructure often contains sensitive data and operates with elevated privileges, making it an attractive target for adversaries seeking persistent access or data theft. The vulnerability affects organizations using Quest DR Series Disk Backup software in their data protection strategies, potentially exposing critical backup data and systems to unauthorized manipulation or complete compromise.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patch version 4.0.3.1 to address this vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive network monitoring to detect suspicious command execution patterns and implementing least privilege principles for backup service accounts. Security teams should also conduct thorough assessments of their backup infrastructure to identify other potential command injection vulnerabilities and ensure proper input validation is implemented throughout the system. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88 categories related to command injection and improper input sanitization, and it maps to ATT&CK techniques involving command and scripting interpreter for execution and privilege escalation through service manipulation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management processes should be enhanced to prevent similar issues in other backup and data protection solutions within the enterprise environment.