CVE-2004-1023 in WinRoute Firewall
Summary
by MITRE
kerio winroute firewall before 6.0.9 serverfirewall before 1.0.1 and mailserver before 6.0.5 when installed on windows based systems do not modify the acls for critical files which allows local users with power users privileges to modify programs install malicious dlls in the plug-ins folder and modify xml files related to configuration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2017
This vulnerability affects kerio winroute firewall serverfirewall and mailserver versions prior to 6.0.9 1.0.1 and 6.0.5 respectively when deployed on windows operating systems. The core issue stems from improper access control implementation where the installation process fails to correctly configure access control lists for critical system files and directories. This misconfiguration creates a privilege escalation vector that allows local users with power user privileges to gain unauthorized access to system resources that should be restricted to administrators or system processes.
The technical flaw manifests in the inadequate handling of file permissions during the installation of kerio security products. When these applications are installed on windows systems the critical files and directories that control the application's core functionality are not properly secured through appropriate access control list modifications. This allows power user accounts to modify executable programs and inject malicious dynamic link libraries into the plugins folder. The vulnerability specifically targets the application's plugin architecture and configuration file management system where xml files containing critical system settings can be altered without proper authorization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables local users to achieve persistent unauthorized access and potential system compromise. Attackers with power user privileges can leverage this weakness to install malicious software directly into the application's plugin directory which executes with the privileges of the running service. Additionally the ability to modify xml configuration files provides attackers with opportunities to alter system behavior and potentially redirect network traffic or disable security features. This vulnerability creates a pathway for privilege escalation attacks that can ultimately lead to complete system compromise.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276 which describes improper file permissions and CWE-732 which covers inadequate permissions for critical resources. From an attack framework perspective this vulnerability maps to the privilege escalation techniques described in the attack tactics and techniques framework where attackers exploit weak access controls to gain elevated privileges. The attack chain typically begins with a local user account that gains access to the system through legitimate means and then leverages this vulnerability to execute malicious code with higher privileges.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected kerio products to versions 6.0.9 1.0.1 and 6.0.5 respectively. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular permission audits of critical application directories and monitoring for unauthorized modifications to plugin files and configuration xml documents. Network segmentation and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Additionally organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of all installed kerio products to identify and remediate similar access control weaknesses in other security applications.