Arcserve UDP Directory Traversal Information Disclosure and DoS Vulnerability (CVE-2015-4068) Security Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTArcserve UDP versions prior to 5.0 Update 4
Unauthenticated remote attackers can retrieve sensitive system files or trigger a denial of service, severely impacting business continuity
Immediately upgrade to Arcserve UDP 5.0 Update 4 or later, and restrict external access to the management console
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
The recommended remediation is to upgrade Arcserve UDP to version 5.0 Update 4 or later.
# Stop Arcserve UDP services before applying the official update
Stop-Service -Name 'CASGService' -Force
Stop-Service -Name 'Arcserve UDP Central Service' -Force
# Apply the official Update 4 patch executable, then restart services
Start-Service -Name 'CASGService'
Start-Service -Name 'Arcserve UDP Central Service'2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If patching cannot be applied immediately, restrict access to the vulnerable servlet endpoints using a reverse proxy or web application firewall (WAF).
# Block access to vulnerable servlets via Nginx configuration
server {
listen 80;
server_name arcserve.local;
location ~* /(reportFileServlet|exportServlet) {
deny all;
return 403;
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following command to scan web access logs for potential exploitation attempts containing directory traversal sequences targeting the affected servlets.
# Scan Tomcat/Apache access logs for directory traversal patterns in the affected servlets
grep -Ei 'reportFileServlet|exportServlet' /opt/Arcserve/templates/logs/access_log* | grep -E '\.\./|\.\.\\'Block Exploits Instantly with Managed Virtual Patching Rules
Can't patch production immediately? Deploy managed WAF rules at the edge to intercept RCE, SQLi, and deserialization payloads before they hit your origin server.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability exists in the web console of Arcserve UDP, specifically within the reportFileServlet and exportServlet servlets. Due to insufficient validation of user-supplied file path parameters, an unauthenticated remote attacker can perform directory traversal (CWE-22) attacks using input sequences like ../ to escape the web root directory and access arbitrary files on the hosting operating system.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker can craft a malicious HTTP request targeting the vulnerable servlets without requiring any authentication. By manipulating the file path parameters to point to sensitive system files (e.g., ../../../../windows/win.ini or application configuration files containing credentials), the servlet processes the request and returns the file contents. Additionally, requesting invalid or system-locked paths repeatedly can exhaust resources or crash the underlying servlet container, leading to a Denial of Service (DoS).
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
Since Arcserve UDP is a core enterprise backup and disaster recovery solution, exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to the exposure of critical system configurations, backup credentials, and sensitive business data. Given its active exploitation history and inclusion in the CISA KEV catalog, leaving this vulnerability unpatched exposes the organization to high risks of initial access by ransomware operators and subsequent infrastructure-wide compromise.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Directory traversal vulnerability in Arcserve UDP before 5.0 Update 4 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or cause a denial of service via a crafted file path to the (1) reportFileServlet or (2) exportServlet servlet.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2015-4068)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2015-4068 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2015-4068 is rated CVSS 9.1 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 63.6%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2015-4068?
Primary impacted vendors include arcserve across arcserve_udp. Scope summary: All Arcserve UDP installations prior to version 5.0 Update 4
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2015-4068 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately upgrade to Arcserve UDP 5.0 Update 4 or later, and restrict external access to the management console Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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