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Tivoli Storage Manager FastbackApplication · Ibm

CVE-2015-8522

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2016-04-05
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
Buffer overflow in the server in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack 5.5.x and 6.x before 6.1.12.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted command, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-8519, CVE-2015-8520, and CVE-2015-8521.

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 confidence

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack server (versions 5.5.x and 6.x before 6.1.12.2) that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted commands. This is a critical network-exploitable flaw with CVSS 9.8 indicating ease of exploitation and complete impact.

MitigationApply IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack version 6.1.12.2 or later to patch the buffer overflow vulnerability. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict network access to the FastBack server to reduce attack surface.

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
Tivoli Storage Manager FastbackApplication
Affected:= 5.5.0= 6.1.0= 6.1.0.1= 6.1.1= 6.1.1.0= 6.1.2= 6.1.2.0= 6.1.3= 6.1.3.0= 6.1.4= 6.1.4.0= 6.1.5

CVSS 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
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack server is installed
    Locate the FastBack server installation directory - common paths include C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\FastBack or /opt/tivoli/tsm/fastback on Unix systems. Check for the presence of the FastBack server executable or service.
    Affected if The product is present on the system
  2. Identify the installed FastBack server version
    Use the FastBack server management interface, check the About/Help menu, or run the version command specific to the FastBack server installation. The version is typically displayed in the server console or in the server configuration files.
    Affected if The version cannot be determined or the product is not found
  3. Compare installed version against affected versions
    Review the installed version number against the list of affected versions: 5.5.0, 6.1.0, 6.1.0.1, 6.1.1, 6.1.1.0, 6.1.2, 6.1.2.0, 6.1.3, 6.1.3.0, 6.1.4, 6.1.4.0, 6.1.5. Also check if the version is any 5.5.x release or any 6.1.x release prior to 6.1.12.2.
    Affected if The installed version matches any of the listed affected versions or falls within the 5.5.x or 6.1.x through 6.1.5 range
  4. Verify the FastBack server service is running and network accessible
    Check if the FastBack server service is active and listening on network ports. This vulnerability is remotely exploitable, so network exposure increases risk.
    Affected if The server is running and exposed to the network

The environment is affected if IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack server is installed with version 5.5.0, any 6.1.x version through 6.1.5, or any version prior to 6.1.12.2, as these contain the buffer overflow vulnerability.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack version 6.1.12.2 or later to patch the buffer overflow vulnerability. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict network access to the FastBack server to reduce attack surface.

Recommended fix High confidence

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack 6.1.12.2 or later

  1. 1. Back up the current Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack server configuration and data.
  2. 2. Stop all FastBack services on the server.
  3. 3. Download the fixed version (6.1.12.2 or later) from IBM Fix Central or authorized IBM distribution channels.
  4. 4. Install the 6.1.12.2 or later version following IBM's installation documentation.
  5. 5. Verify the installation completed successfully by checking the version number.
  6. 6. Restart all FastBack services.
  7. 7. Validate that the server is operational and functioning normally.
  8. 8. Review IBM security bulletins for any additional post-install configuration recommendations.
Caveat Review IBM's release notes for version 6.1.12.2 for any compatibility considerations or required configuration changes before upgrading

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Tivoli Storage Manager Fastback Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
24.0 hours of engineering $4,160
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2015-8522 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data