CRITICAL CVSS 9.8
Published: 2017-05-10

CVE-2017-8895

veritas backup_exec Security Advisory (CVE-2017-8895)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2017-8895 impacting veritas backup_exec. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
In Veritas Backup Exec 2014 before build 14.1.1187.1126, 15 before build 14.2.1180.3160, and 16 before FP1, there is a use-after-free vulnerability in multiple agents that can lead to a denial of service or remote code execution. An unauthenticated attacker can use this vulnerability to crash the agent or potentially take control of the agent process and then the system it is running on.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product veritas / backup_exec
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-416

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2017-8895 impacting veritas backup_exec.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2017-8895.yaml
id: cve-2017-8895

info:
  name: veritas backup_exec - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2017-8895 affecting veritas backup_exec.
    Evaluation: In Veritas Backup Exec 2014 before build 14.1.1187.1126, 15 before build 14.2.1180.3160, and 16 before FP1, there is a use-after-free vulnerability in...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2017-8895
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2017-8895
    cwe-id: CWE-416
  tags: cve,cve-2017-8895,veritas,backup_exec,critical

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "backup_exec"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2017-8895.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2017-8895
# Target: veritas backup_exec | CVSS: 9.8 (CRITICAL)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2017-8895 (veritas backup_exec)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against veritas backup_exec scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2017-8895.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2017-8895
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install backup_exec 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade backup_exec 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update backup_exec

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i backup_exec 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i backup_exec

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2017-8895 in veritas backup_exec?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update veritas backup_exec packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2017-8895?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2017-8895?

CVE-2017-8895 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
9.8
CRITICAL SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2017-8895
Weakness CWE-416
Vendor veritas
Product backup_exec
Published 2017-05-10
Vector CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H