CVE-2002-1762 in Baseline Security Analyzer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) 1.0 stores security scans in a known location C:\Documents and Settings\username\SecurityScans in plaintext, which could allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information about the system via malicious active content such as ActiveX controls or Java.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1762 affects Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer version 1.0, a tool designed to help administrators assess system security configurations. This security scanner, when executed on Windows systems, creates security scan results in a predictable directory structure at C:\Documents and Settings\username\SecurityScans. The flaw stems from the application's lack of proper access controls and encryption mechanisms for storing sensitive security data, creating a significant information disclosure risk.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the MBSA 1.0 application writing its scan results to a fixed location without adequate file system permissions or encryption measures. The plaintext storage of security scan data means that any user with access to the system can directly read the contents of these files, which may contain detailed information about system vulnerabilities, installed software versions, patch levels, and other sensitive configuration details. This represents a classic case of insecure data storage where sensitive information is persisted in an unencrypted format with predictable file paths.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations relying on MBSA for security assessments. Remote attackers with malicious ActiveX controls or Java applets could potentially access these scan results and use the gathered intelligence to plan targeted attacks against the identified system weaknesses. The vulnerability specifically enables information gathering attacks that align with the ATT&CK technique of T1087.001 for Account Discovery and T1592 for Vulnerability Scanning, as adversaries can exploit this weakness to gain detailed knowledge of system configurations and security gaps. The predictable file path structure makes exploitation particularly straightforward for attackers who can execute malicious content on the target system.
The security implications extend beyond simple information disclosure, as the vulnerability could enable more sophisticated attack vectors when combined with other reconnaissance techniques. Organizations using MBSA 1.0 for regular security assessments face the risk that their own security scanning activities could inadvertently provide attackers with detailed system intelligence. This vulnerability demonstrates poor security practices in application design where sensitive data handling was not properly considered during development. The issue falls under CWE-312, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through data storage, and represents a failure to implement proper access controls and encryption for sensitive data at rest.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of updated MBSA versions that address the plaintext storage issue, implementation of proper file system permissions for the scan result directories, and consideration of alternative security assessment tools with better data protection mechanisms. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other security tools and applications. The recommended approach involves applying the latest Microsoft security updates, implementing network segmentation to limit access to sensitive directories, and establishing proper access control policies for security scanning tools. Additionally, administrators should consider using encrypted storage solutions for security scan results and implement monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to these sensitive locations.