CVE-2018-11181 in DR Series Disk Backup
Summary
by MITRE
Quest DR Series Disk Backup software version before 4.0.3.1 allows command injection (issue 39 of 46).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2023
The CVE-2018-11181 vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw within Quest DR Series Disk Backup software affecting versions prior to 4.0.3.1. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of command injection attacks that have been classified as CWE-77 by the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The flaw specifically manifests in the software's handling of user-supplied input within command execution contexts, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects backup software, which typically operates with elevated privileges and has access to sensitive data and system resources. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets directly incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization or validation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the software's failure to properly sanitize or escape user input before using it in command execution contexts. When legitimate users or attackers provide input that should be processed within the backup operations, the software does not adequately validate or escape special characters that could be interpreted as command delimiters or operators. This allows an attacker to inject additional commands that execute with the privileges of the backup software process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where backup systems often run with administrative privileges and have access to critical system files and databases. The impact extends beyond simple command execution as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges, access sensitive data, or even establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations relying on Quest DR Series Disk Backup software. Attackers who successfully exploit this command injection flaw can gain unauthorized access to backup systems and potentially compromise the entire backup infrastructure. This creates a cascading effect where attackers can access backup data, modify backup schedules, or even delete critical backup files to disrupt business continuity. The vulnerability also enables attackers to use the backup system as a pivot point to move laterally within the network, as backup systems often have access to multiple network segments and systems. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues if backup data is compromised, as backup systems typically contain sensitive information that must be protected according to data protection regulations. The attack surface is particularly wide since backup systems are often less secured than primary production systems and may contain legacy software components that are not regularly updated.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-11181 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected software to version 4.0.3.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the command injection vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to backup systems and restrict the privileges of backup software processes to the minimum required for operations. Input validation and sanitization should be strengthened throughout the application to prevent similar issues in other components. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by running backup processes with minimal required permissions and avoiding administrative privileges where possible. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual command execution patterns or unauthorized access attempts to backup systems. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other backup and recovery systems. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls or similar protective measures specifically designed to detect and prevent command injection attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and following security best practices in backup and disaster recovery environments, as these systems often serve as critical components in an organization's overall security posture and incident response capabilities.