An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2.

published 2021-03-01 5y ago modified 2026-06-17 4mo ago also EUVD-2021-14616

cvss: 8.8; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Exploited; added 2023-04-07, used in ransomware
epss: 24.0%; EPSS 24.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 97%
public exploits: 1; Metasploit

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute data management protocol commands on the authenticated connection. The attacker could use one of these commands to execute an arbitrary command on the system using system privileges.

Patch / fix

cisa required action Apply updates per vendor instructions.

fixed in 1

veritas backup_exec 21.2

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Timeline

2021-03-01 First public exploit (Metasploit exploit/multi/veritas/beagent_sha_auth_rce)
2021-03-01 Published
2023-04-07 Added to CISA KEV
2023-04-28 CISA patch deadline
2023-12-22 CISA SSVC: exploitation active

Known exploited

Added: 3y ago (2023-04-07)
Patch by: 2023-04-28 (3y ago)
Ransomware: Known to be used in ransomware campaigns
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Vendor, product: Veritas, Backup Exec Agent
CISA name: Veritas Backup Exec Agent Command Execution Vulnerability

Ransomware

Groups reported to have exploited it in intrusions.

ALPHV ransomware gang

reported by cloud.google.com

Ransomware Vulnerability Matrix by BushidoUK (github.com/BushidoUK/Ransomware-Vulnerability-Matrix), reformatted per CVE. CC BY 4.0

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: Active, exploited in the wild
Automatable: no
Technical impact: total
Assessed: 2y ago (2023-12-22)

Exploit prediction

23.95% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 97% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

Exploits and checks

Metasploit exploit/multi/veritas/beagent_sha_auth_rce Veritas Backup Exec Agent Remote Code Execution metasploit exploit, excellent rank, 2021-03-01
packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/168506/Veritas-Backup-Exec-Agent-Remote-Code-Execution.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	3.1	8.8	CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:L/S:U/UI:N
CNA	3.1	8.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD	3.1	8.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD	2.0	9.0	AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C

References

packetstormsecurity.com /files/168506/Veritas-Backup-Exec-Agent-Remote-Code-Execution.html
exploit, third-party-advisory, vdb-entry
veritas.com /content/support/en_US/security/VTS21-001#issue3
vendor-advisory
cisa.gov /known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-27878
government-resource, us-government-resource

Sources

CVE List CVE-2021-27878
NVD CVE-2021-27878

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