CVE-2011-0546
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedSymantec Backup Exec 11.0, 12.0, 12.5, 13.0, and 13.0 R2 does not validate identity information sent between the media server and the remote agent, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to execute NDMP commands via unspecified vectors.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceSymantec Backup Exec versions 11.0 through 13.0 R2 fail to validate identity information in NDMP (Network Data Management Protocol) communications between the media server and remote agents. This allows man-in-the-middle attackers to intercept traffic and potentially execute arbitrary NDMP commands on the backup infrastructure.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 11.0= 12.0= 12.5= 13.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Adjacent
- Complexity
- High
- Authentication
- Single
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:A/AC:H/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Backup Exec versionLocate the installed Backup Exec version on the media server - this is typically visible in the application itself, in Add/Remove Programs, or in the Backup Exec installation directory properties. Compare the installed version number to the affected range: 11.0, 12.0, 12.5, 13.0 through 13.0 R2.Affected if The installed version is any of 11.0, 12.0, 12.5, or 13.0 through 13.0 R2.
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Confirm NDMP is configuredCheck whether NDMP (Network Data Management Protocol) is enabled on the Backup Exec media server. This is typically configured in the Backup Exec administrative console under storage or device settings, or via NDMP-specific configuration panels.Affected if NDMP is enabled and configured to communicate with remote backup agents.
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Verify NDMP traffic encryptionInspect the NDMP configuration settings to determine whether TLS encryption or other cryptographic protection is enforced for NDMP communications between the media server and remote agents.Affected if NDMP traffic is transmitted without TLS encryption or identity validation protections enabled.
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Check backup network isolationDetermine whether the backup network (the network segment used for NDMP traffic between media servers and remote agents) is isolated from untrusted networks.Affected if NDMP traffic traverses networks that are not isolated or are accessible to untrusted systems, increasing MITM exposure.
A user is affected if Backup Exec version 11.0 through 13.0 R2 is installed, NDMP is enabled, and NDMP communications lack TLS encryption or travel over non-isolated networks.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade to a patched version of Backup Exec beyond 13.0 R2. Additionally, enforce TLS encryption on NDMP traffic and isolate backup networks to reduce MITM exposure.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2011-0546 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2011-0546 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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