CVE-2012-0279 in Toad for Data Analysts
Summary
by MITRE
Quest Toad for Data Analysts 3.0.1 uses weak permissions (Everyone: Full Control) for the %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Quest Shared directory, which allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0279 resides within Quest Toad for Data Analysts version 3.0.1, a database management and analysis tool widely used in enterprise environments. This flaw represents a critical security misconfiguration that stems from improper file system permissions assigned to a shared directory component of the application. The vulnerability specifically affects the %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Quest Shared directory where the software places shared components and libraries. The weakness manifests through the assignment of overly permissive access controls that grant Everyone: Full Control permissions, creating a significant attack surface for local adversaries seeking privilege escalation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental principle of least privilege by creating an environment where any local user can manipulate critical system components. When the Quest Shared directory is configured with Everyone: Full Control permissions, it allows any user account to read, write, modify, or delete files within this location. This misconfiguration enables attackers to deploy malicious Trojan horse files that can be executed with elevated privileges when the legitimate application processes access these shared components. The vulnerability operates at the operating system level rather than within the application code itself, making it particularly dangerous as it leverages inherent system permission flaws rather than application-specific bugs.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise security infrastructure and data integrity. Local users who might otherwise have limited access to system resources can exploit this weakness to escalate their privileges and potentially gain administrative control over the affected systems. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no network connectivity or external exploitation techniques, relying purely on local system access and permission misconfiguration. This makes the vulnerability difficult to detect through traditional network-based security monitoring tools, as the malicious activity occurs within the local file system context. The potential for privilege escalation means that attackers could access sensitive database information, modify system configurations, or establish persistent backdoors within the enterprise environment.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper file permissions, and represents a classic example of inadequate access control implementation. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to privilege escalation techniques and specifically relates to the T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1547 (Registry Run Keys) tactics. Organizations should immediately implement remediation measures including proper permission configuration for the Quest Shared directory, ensuring that only authorized users and processes have access to these critical system components. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that no other shared directories within the system have similar permission misconfigurations. The recommended mitigation involves explicitly setting appropriate access control lists for the shared directory to restrict permissions to only necessary users and groups, thereby eliminating the default Everyone: Full Control setting that enables this vulnerability.