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Quest NetVault Backup EUVDEUVD-2026-39140

| CVE-2026-9780 HIGH
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) (CWE-79)
2026-06-25 zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com GHSA-rhv6-pj5x-4qfc
8.8
CVSS 3.0 · Vendor: trendmicro
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Host malicious page targeting addclient3
  2. Delivery
    Lure NetVault admin to open it
  3. Exploit
    Reflected script bypasses authentication
  4. Execution
    Chain with secondary flaw
  5. Impact
    Execute code as SYSTEM

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Output encoding, context-aware escaping
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Initial Access, Execution

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the victim - a user with access to the NetVault Backup web console - to visit an attacker-controlled malicious page or open a malicious file (CVSS UI:R), which triggers the unvalidated input handling in the addclient3 webpage; achieving the full SYSTEM-level impact additionally requires chaining with at least one other vulnerability, as the XSS/auth-bypass alone does not directly yield code execution. Limiting factors: mandatory user interaction means no purely autonomous remote compromise, the target must have reachable access to the console, and the highest-impact outcome depends on a separate companion vulnerability rather than this flaw in isolation. No authentication is required of the attacker per PR:N, but the attack succeeds against the session of whoever is induced to interact.

Impact

The CVSS:3.0 vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H yields 8.8 (High): network-reachable, low complexity, no privileges required, but mandatory user interaction (UI:R) is the principal limiting factor - exploitation depends on luring an administrator/operator to attacker-controlled content rather than a fully autonomous remote attack. No EPSS score, SSVC decision, or KEV entry was provided in the input, and no proof-of-concept is referenced, so real-world exploitation pressure appears low-to-moderate and likely targeted rather than mass-automatable. Note a common modeling tension: ZDI rated scope unchanged (S:U) with full C/I/A:H, which is generous for a reflected XSS in isolation - the high impact ratings are justified primarily by the stated chaining path to SYSTEM-level code execution, so the severity is contingent on that chain. Treat as a meaningful priority for internet-exposed or shared-network NetVault consoles, but lower urgency than an unauthenticated, no-interaction RCE.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker crafts a malicious web page (or file) containing script targeting the addclient3 endpoint and entices a NetVault administrator to open it while logged into the console. The reflected script runs in the administrator's authenticated session, bypassing authentication controls, and - combined with a secondary flaw - pivots to arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM on the backup server. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis, so this remains a plausible but not yet commodity attack.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
No patch listed yet 0.7% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Jun 25, 2026

Authentication bypass via cross-site scripting in Quest NetVault Backup's addclient3 webpage allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary script that executes in a victim's authenticated session, bypassing access controls. Disclosed through Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI-26-369, formerly ZDI-CAN-27666), the flaw requires user interaction - the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file - and can be chained with other weaknesses to achieve code execution in the SYSTEM context. There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and the issue is not listed in CISA KEV, though the high CVSS of 8.8 reflects the serious downstream RCE potential.

RemediationAI

Upgrade to Quest NetVault Backup 14.0.2 or later, the version associated with the vendor release notes (https://support.quest.com/technical-documents/netvault/14.0.2/release-notes#TOPIC-2338529); patch availability is per vendor advisory and the exact lowest fixed build should be verified against those notes. Until patched, restrict network exposure of the NetVault management web interface to a trusted administrative network or VPN and place it behind access controls so untrusted clients cannot reach the addclient3 endpoint - the trade-off is reduced remote administrability. Because the attack hinges on user interaction, instruct administrators not to open untrusted links or files while authenticated to the console and consider browser isolation or strict Content-Security-Policy at any fronting proxy to blunt reflected script execution, accepting that a proxy-level CSP may break legitimate console functionality if too restrictive. Cross-reference the ZDI advisory (https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-369/) for coordinated-disclosure details.

Affected VersionsENISA

NetVault Backup 14.0.1.7

Affected Packages

euvd netvault_backup no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

Quest NetVault Backup is enterprise data-protection software providing centralized backup and recovery across heterogeneous environments, administered through a web-based console. The root cause is CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, i.e. cross-site scripting): the addclient3 web endpoint fails to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before reflecting it into a page, permitting injection of attacker-controlled script. Because the script executes within the privileged management interface, it can subvert the application's authentication state and, per ZDI, be leveraged together with additional vulnerabilities to reach the underlying SYSTEM account that the NetVault service runs as.

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Severity by source

Vendor (trendmicro) PRIMARY 8.8 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 6.1 MEDIUM

Reflected XSS needing victim interaction (UI:R) crosses a security boundary into the auth context (S:C) with limited direct C/I impact; the SYSTEM-level C/I/A:H outcome depends on a separate chained vulnerability not scored here.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (trendmicro).

CVSS VectorVendor: trendmicro

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionCVE.org

Quest NetVault Backup addclient3 Cross-Site Scripting Authentication Bypass Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass authentication on affected installations of Quest NetVault Backup. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within the addclient3 webpage. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can lead to the injection of an arbitrary script. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-27666.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Quest NetVault Backup contains an authentication bypass vulnerability (CVE-2026-9780, CVSS 8.8) in the addclient3 webpage that allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary scripts into authenticated user sessions, with no public exploit identified at time of analysis but potential to chain into remote code execution with SYSTEM-level privileges. Backup infrastructure provides attackers with access to organizational data and privileged credentials, creating severe risk of data breach, ransomware deployment, and lateral movement across the infrastructure. Organizations running externally-accessible NetVault instances are immediately at risk.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: (1) Network segmentation restricting addclient3 interface access to trusted administrative subnets only; (2) Disable optional client self-registration features to reduce attack surface; (3) Deploy WAF or reverse-proxy rules to block script injection patterns in addclient3 inputs; (4) Enforce multi-factor authentication on all NetVault Backup administrative accounts to prevent lateral movement if an authenticated session is compromised; (5) Increase audit logging and monitoring of session activity for indicators of malicious script injection.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.7%
Top 51% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
specialized enterprise backup software from a known vendor, not ubiquitous
Social Media
1
Sightings
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.7%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

45
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +44
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Cross-Site Scripting occurs when an application accepts untrusted data and sends it to a web browser without proper validation or encoding.

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.

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