CVE-2005-0515 in my firewall plus
Summary
by MITRE
smc.exe in my firewall plus 5.0 build 1117 and possibly other versions does not drop privileges before launching the log viewer export functionality which allows local users to corrupt arbitrary files by saving log files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0515 resides within the smc.exe component of my firewall plus version 5.0 build 1117 and potentially other iterations of the software. This represents a critical privilege escalation issue that stems from improper privilege handling during the execution of specific functionality within the firewall application. The flaw manifests when the system launches the log viewer export feature, where the smc.exe process fails to drop its elevated privileges before initiating the file saving operation. This technical oversight creates a dangerous condition where local users can exploit the system to corrupt arbitrary files through the log export functionality.
The core technical flaw aligns with CWE-250, which describes "Execution of Code with Unusual or Unconventional Control Flow" and specifically relates to privilege escalation vulnerabilities. The vulnerability operates through a privilege separation failure where the application maintains elevated privileges when it should be operating with minimal necessary permissions. When users attempt to save log files through the export functionality, the system does not properly transition from administrative to standard user privileges, leaving the process running with elevated permissions. This creates an opportunity for malicious file manipulation where local attackers can leverage this condition to write to arbitrary file locations on the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file corruption as it represents a fundamental security architecture flaw that enables local privilege escalation. Attackers with local access can exploit this vulnerability to overwrite system files, modify critical application components, or inject malicious code into the system through the log export mechanism. The implications are particularly severe given that the affected software is a firewall application, which typically runs with elevated privileges and has access to sensitive network and system information. This vulnerability essentially provides attackers with a mechanism to compromise the integrity of the firewall's operational environment, potentially allowing them to bypass security controls or create persistent backdoors within the system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate privilege management improvements and access control hardening. System administrators should implement the latest available patches from the vendor to address the privilege escalation flaw in the smc.exe component. Additionally, the system should enforce strict privilege separation policies where applications running with elevated privileges are required to drop unnecessary permissions before executing file operations. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically T1068, which describes "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual file modification patterns and ensure that the firewall application operates with the principle of least privilege, limiting the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and privilege audits should be conducted to identify similar issues within the system's application architecture and prevent future occurrences of this class of vulnerability.