CVE-2015-1986
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 · uneditedThe server in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack 6.1 before 6.1.12 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-1938.
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 · moderate confidenceIBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack server versions prior to 6.1.12 contains a remote command execution vulnerability allowing unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system, rated critical with CVSS 10.
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= 6.1.0.0= 6.1.1.0= 6.1.7.2= 6.1.8.0= 6.1.8.1= 6.1.9.0= 6.1.9.1= 6.1.10.0= 6.1.10.1= 6.1.11.0= 6.1.11.1CVSS 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
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/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 if IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack is installedCheck common installation directories: on Windows look in Program Files\IBM\Tivoli\TSM\FastBack or on Linux/Unix look in /opt/tivoli/tsm/fastback. Also check for the FastBack service or process running on the system.Affected if The product is present on the system
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Determine the installed FastBack server versionLocate the version information file in the FastBack installation directory, or run the FastBack version command if available, or check the Windows registry under HKLM\Software\IBM\Tivoli\Storage\FastBack for the Version value.Affected if The version cannot be determined or is one of: 6.1.0.0, 6.1.1.0, 6.1.7.2, 6.1.8.0, 6.1.8.1, 6.1.9.0, 6.1.9.1, 6.1.10.0, 6.1.10.1, 6.1.11.0, or 6.1.11.1
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Verify the FastBack server service is accessible over the networkConfirm the FastBack server port (typically 11460 or 11461) is listening and accessible. Check if the FastBack server service is running and bound to a network interface.Affected if The server service is running and network-accessible with a version prior to 6.1.12
The system is affected if IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack server is installed with any version between 6.1.0.0 and 6.1.11.1 inclusive, as these versions contain the unauthenticated remote command execution vulnerability.
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.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack to version 6.1.12 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Given the critical severity and remote exploit capability, prioritize this update in the patching schedule.
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack 6.1.12 or later
- Back up the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack server configuration and data before proceeding with the upgrade
- Download IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack version 6.1.12 or later from IBM Fix Central (www-01.ibm.com)
- Stop all IBM TSM FastBack services on the server
- Install the upgraded FastBack server version 6.1.12 or later following IBM's installation documentation
- After installation, verify the version number matches the fixed release
- Restart the TSM FastBack services
- Confirm the server is operational and the command injection vulnerability is remediated
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- 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-2015-1986 — 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-2015-1986 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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