CVE-2019-9867 in NetBackup Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the Web Console in Veritas NetBackup Appliance through 3.1.2. The proxy server password is displayed to an administrator.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9867 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Veritas NetBackup Appliance web console interface. This issue affects versions through 3.1.2 and specifically impacts the proxy server password handling mechanism, where sensitive authentication credentials are inadvertently exposed to administrative users. The flaw manifests in the web console's user interface where the proxy server password is displayed in plain text format, creating an unauthorized access vector for potential attackers who gain administrative access to the appliance.
This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the web console's password display functionality. The technical implementation fails to properly obscure or mask the proxy server password field, allowing the password to be visible to any administrator with access to the affected interface. The flaw directly violates security best practices for credential handling and demonstrates a failure in proper access control mechanisms within the appliance's administrative web interface. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in the design of the user interface where sensitive information is displayed without proper security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides unauthorized access to critical system credentials that could be exploited to compromise the entire backup infrastructure. An attacker with administrative access to the appliance could leverage this information to escalate privileges, gain access to backup repositories, or perform unauthorized data operations. The exposure of proxy server passwords particularly undermines the security posture of organizations that rely on NetBackup appliances for their data protection strategies, as these credentials often serve as gateways to broader network resources and backup systems. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1555.003 for credential access and represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege in system administration.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, disabling unnecessary administrative access, and implementing additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized access attempts. Network segmentation and strict access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of the affected appliance to only authorized personnel. Regular security audits should verify that no sensitive information is displayed in plain text within administrative interfaces, and that proper credential management practices are enforced throughout the backup infrastructure. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output sanitization in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive administrative credentials.