CVE-2011-3479 in pcAnywhere
Summary
by MITRE
Symantec pcAnywhere 12.5.x through 12.5.3, and IT Management Suite pcAnywhere Solution 7.0 (aka 12.5.x) and 7.1 (aka 12.6.x), uses world-writable permissions for product-installation files, which allows local users to gain privileges by modifying a file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3479 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Symantec pcAnywhere software versions 12.5.x through 12.5.3 and the IT Management Suite pcAnywhere Solution versions 7.0 and 7.1. This issue stems from the improper configuration of file permissions during the installation process, creating a fundamental security weakness that can be exploited by local attackers to elevate their system privileges. The flaw specifically affects installations where product files are configured with world-writable permissions, meaning any local user can modify these critical components. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-732, which describes improper permission settings that allow incorrect access to resources, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through local exploits. The affected software versions demonstrate a failure in implementing proper least privilege principles during installation, where sensitive system files are unnecessarily granted write permissions to all users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a local attacker identifies the world-writable installation files and modifies them to execute malicious code with elevated privileges. Since the installation files are configured with permissions that allow any user to write to them, an attacker can replace legitimate binaries with malicious equivalents or inject code into existing components. The privilege escalation typically results in the attacker gaining administrative or root-level access to the system, depending on the target operating environment. This represents a classic case of insecure file permissions that violates fundamental security practices and can be exploited without requiring network connectivity or external attack vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security hygiene in the software installation process where the default configuration fails to properly secure critical components that could be used to compromise the entire system.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-3479 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. Once an attacker achieves elevated privileges through this vulnerability, they can access sensitive system information, modify critical system files, install backdoors, and establish persistent access to the compromised system. The vulnerability affects enterprise environments where pcAnywhere is commonly deployed for remote administration, making it particularly dangerous in corporate networks where multiple users may have local access to systems. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk of unauthorized access, especially in environments where least privilege access controls are not properly enforced. The exploitability of this vulnerability is high due to the simplicity of the attack vector, requiring only local access and basic file manipulation capabilities to succeed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3479 should focus on immediate remediation through software updates and proper permission configuration. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Symantec pcAnywhere and the IT Management Suite to address the root cause of the vulnerability. System administrators should conduct thorough audits of installation directories to identify and correct any world-writable permissions on critical files, ensuring that only authorized users or system processes have write access to sensitive components. The implementation of proper access control lists and file permission auditing should be enforced to prevent similar issues in the future. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect suspicious file modification activities. Security controls should be aligned with NIST SP 800-53 security controls, particularly those related to access control and system configuration management, to ensure comprehensive protection against privilege escalation attacks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar permission-related issues across the enterprise environment.