CVE-2018-11192 in DR Series Disk Backup
Summary
by MITRE
Quest DR Series Disk Backup software version before 4.0.3.1 allows privilege escalation (issue 4 of 6).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2023
The CVE-2018-11192 vulnerability affects Quest DR Series Disk Backup software versions prior to 4.0.3.1 and represents a privilege escalation flaw that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain elevated system privileges. This vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation issues that are particularly dangerous as they allow attackers to move from a standard user account to a higher-privileged administrative level within the system. The vulnerability is specifically identified as issue 4 of 6 in a series of security concerns affecting the Quest DR Series software, indicating that this represents a known weakness in the software's access control mechanisms that has been documented and addressed in subsequent releases.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from improper access control implementation within the Quest DR Series Disk Backup software. When users interact with the backup system, the software fails to properly validate or enforce privilege boundaries during certain operations, allowing unauthorized users to execute commands or access resources that should be restricted to administrators or privileged accounts. This weakness typically manifests through insufficient input validation, improper authentication checks, or flawed authorization mechanisms that permit privilege elevation without proper verification of user credentials or role-based access controls. The vulnerability may be exploited through various attack vectors including but not limited to command injection, file manipulation, or direct system interface exploitation that bypasses normal security controls.
The operational impact of this privilege escalation vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on Quest DR Series Disk Backup solutions for their data protection infrastructure. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain administrative access to backup systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of backup operations. Organizations using affected versions face risks including unauthorized access to backup data, modification of backup configurations, creation of backdoor access points, and potential lateral movement within the network through compromised backup systems that often have elevated privileges. The vulnerability particularly affects disaster recovery environments where backup systems typically maintain extensive access to organizational data and may have direct connections to production systems, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking persistent access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-11192 should focus on immediate patching of affected systems to version 4.0.3.1 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes to address the privilege escalation flaw. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to backup systems, enforce strict access controls and authentication mechanisms, and regularly audit backup system configurations for unauthorized changes. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious activities related to backup system access, particularly around privilege elevation attempts or unusual administrative activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276 which addresses improper privilege management and relates to ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through system vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their backup infrastructure, review access control policies, and ensure that backup systems follow the principle of least privilege to minimize the potential impact of such vulnerabilities.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise backup solutions, as these systems often serve as critical infrastructure components with elevated privileges and access to sensitive data. Organizations should establish robust patch management processes specifically for backup and disaster recovery systems, given their unique security requirements and the potential for significant operational disruption if compromised. Regular security testing and vulnerability assessments of backup environments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.