CVE-2008-2289 in Altiris Deployment Solution
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in a tooltip element in Symantec Altiris Deployment Solution 6.8.x and 6.9.x before 6.9.176 allows local users to gain privileges via unknown attack vectors.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2289 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Symantec Altiris Deployment Solution versions 6.8.x and 6.9.x prior to 6.9.176. This issue specifically affects the tooltip element functionality within the deployment solution, creating an exploitable condition that enables local attackers to elevate their system privileges. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability may stem from multiple potential entry points or implementation flaws within the tooltip handling mechanisms. The tooltip element in deployment solutions typically serves as a user interface component providing contextual information, but in this case it has been compromised to allow unauthorized privilege elevation.
The technical flaw manifests through improper validation or handling of tooltip elements within the Altiris Deployment Solution framework. When tooltips are processed or rendered, they likely contain insufficient input sanitization or access control checks that allow malicious local users to manipulate the tooltip data in ways that trigger privilege escalation conditions. This vulnerability operates at the system level where local users can exploit the tooltip functionality to execute code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining administrative access to the affected system. The attack vector leverages the local user context, meaning that exploitation requires physical access or prior access to a low-privilege account on the target system. This aligns with CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and CWE-264, which covers permissions and access control issues.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially compromise entire deployment environments. Since Altiris Deployment Solution is commonly used for enterprise-wide software deployment and management, a successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain administrative control over multiple systems within the organization. The vulnerability affects both the 6.8.x and 6.9.x version streams, indicating a widespread issue across the product line that would have required extensive patching efforts. Organizations relying on these deployment solutions face significant risk of unauthorized system access, potential data exfiltration, and disruption of deployment operations. The local privilege escalation nature means that even if the initial access is limited, attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain full system control and potentially move laterally within the network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2289 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to version 6.9.176 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement strict access controls and monitor system logs for unusual privilege escalation activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and least-privilege principles should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security teams should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous tooltip processing activities or privilege escalation events. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and potentially to defense evasion tactics if attackers use the elevated privileges to cover their tracks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other enterprise deployment tools and systems. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise deployment solutions and the critical need for comprehensive security testing of user interface components that interact with system-level operations.