Software Engineering Institute

Symantec VERITAS NetBackup is a client/server based backup software solution. The NetBackup bpcd daemon is vulnerable to a buffer overflow when handling CONNECT_OPTIONS requests to a NetBackup Master/Media Server. The bpcd daemon listens on 13782/tcp.

A remote, unauthenticated attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system with the privileges of the bpcd daemon.

Apply an update

Symantec has released patches to correct this issue in Symantec Security Advisory SYM06-024. The updated versions are NetBackup Enterprise Server/NetBackup Server; Server and client and Storage Migrator versions 6.0_MP4, 5.1_MP6, and 5.0_MP7.

Restrict access

You may wish to block access to the vulnerable software from outside your network perimeter, specifically by blocking access to the ports used by NetBackup Catalog daemon (typically 13721/tcp). This will limit your exposure to attacks. However, blocking at the network perimeter would still allow attackers within the perimeter of your network to exploit the vulnerability. The use of host-based firewalls in addition to network-based firewalls can help restrict access to specific hosts within the network. It is important to understand your network's configuration and service requirements before deciding what changes are appropriate.

Implement NetBackup Access Control (NBAC) on NetBackup Servers and Clients

According to Symantec Security Advisory SYM06-024:
NBAC provides host-based authentication and user-level authorization through Veritas Security Services (VxSS) at both the server and the client to ensure communications are with a trusted host.

Note: even if patching can be done quickly, the above workaround measures should be considered as part of a defense-in-depth strategy for protecting your systems.