CVE-2022-46410 in NetBackup Flex Scale
Summary
by MITRE • 12/04/2022
An issue was discovered in Veritas NetBackup Flex Scale through 3.0. An attacker with non-root privileges may escalate privileges to root by using specific commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-46410 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Veritas NetBackup Flex Scale version 3.0 and earlier. This security weakness allows attackers with minimal user privileges to gain root-level access to the system through the exploitation of specific command execution mechanisms. The flaw resides in the application's handling of certain administrative commands that should normally be restricted to privileged users, creating an avenue for unauthorized elevation of privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms within the NetBackup Flex Scale application. When legitimate users execute specific commands, the system fails to properly validate whether the executing user possesses sufficient privileges to perform these operations. This design flaw typically manifests through improper input validation or insufficient permission checking routines that should enforce strict access controls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which categorizes improper access control issues, and demonstrates how insufficient privilege enforcement can create security gateways for attackers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of systems running affected Veritas NetBackup Flex Scale versions. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw can gain complete control over the backup infrastructure, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system corruption, or disruption of backup operations. This compromise affects the integrity and confidentiality of backup data, as well as the overall availability of the backup system. The vulnerability particularly impacts organizations that rely heavily on automated backup processes, as the attacker could manipulate backup schedules, delete critical backup data, or gain access to sensitive information stored within the backup environment.
Organizations utilizing Veritas NetBackup Flex Scale should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of vendor-provided patches and updates. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive system hardening measures, including regular security assessments and monitoring for unauthorized command executions. Security teams should implement network segmentation to limit access to backup systems and establish strict access controls for administrative functions. Additionally, the implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to systems with elevated privileges. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security audits and the need for robust privilege management within enterprise backup solutions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as privilege escalation techniques, specifically focusing on the use of legitimate credentials and system commands to gain elevated access. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral analytics to detect anomalous command execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.