CVE-2001-1515 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
Macintosh clients, when using NT file system volumes on Windows 2000 SP1, create subdirectories and automatically modify the inherited NTFS permissions, which may cause the directories to have less restrictive permissions than intended.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2019
This vulnerability affects macintosh clients when accessing nt filesystem volumes on windows 2000 service pack 1 systems creating a privilege escalation risk through improper permission handling. The flaw stems from how macintosh clients interact with ntfs permissions during subdirectory creation processes, specifically when these clients are connected to windows 2000 sp1 systems. when macintosh clients create new subdirectories on ntfs volumes, the system automatically modifies inherited permissions in a manner that can result in reduced security posture. this behavior violates the principle of least privilege and creates potential access control weaknesses that attackers could exploit to gain unauthorized access to resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the interaction between macintosh file sharing protocols and windows ntfs permission inheritance mechanisms. when a macintosh client creates a new directory on an ntfs volume, the system attempts to maintain permission inheritance from parent directories but fails to properly preserve the intended security settings. this results in subdirectories being created with less restrictive permissions than originally configured, potentially allowing unauthorized users to access sensitive data or perform operations they should not be permitted to execute. the issue is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where proper access controls are critical for maintaining data confidentiality and integrity.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability can significantly compromise system security by creating unexpected access paths and weakening overall security controls. organizations using mixed macintosh and windows environments on windows 2000 sp1 systems may experience unauthorized access to sensitive data, potential data leakage, and violation of security policies. the vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of ntfs permissions, which is a core component of windows security architecture and can lead to cascading security issues throughout the network. security administrators may not immediately detect this issue since the permission changes occur automatically during normal file operations, making it difficult to track and remediate.
The vulnerability aligns with cwe-276 which describes improper permissions and cwe-732 which covers incorrect permissions. it also relates to attack techniques in the mitre att&ck framework under privilege escalation and persistence tactics where attackers could leverage weakened permissions to maintain access to systems. organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to newer windows versions that address this issue, implementing additional access controls, and monitoring for unauthorized permission changes. the recommended approach involves disabling automatic permission inheritance for sensitive directories, implementing regular permission audits, and ensuring all systems are updated to versions that do not exhibit this behavior. administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and additional monitoring controls to detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts that could exploit this vulnerability.