CVE-2012-4350 in Enterprise Security Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unquoted Windows search path vulnerabilities in the (1) Manager and (2) Agent components in Symantec Enterprise Security Manager (ESM) before 11.0 allow local users to gain privileges via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4350 represents a critical security flaw affecting Symantec Enterprise Security Manager versions prior to 11.0, specifically impacting both Manager and Agent components. This issue falls under the category of unquoted search path vulnerabilities, which occur when Windows searches for executables in a specific order without properly quoting paths that contain spaces or special characters. The vulnerability creates a privilege escalation vector that allows local attackers to execute malicious code with elevated privileges, potentially compromising the entire security infrastructure managed by Symantec ESM. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they exploit the fundamental Windows executable loading mechanism, which is widely used across enterprise security solutions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of search paths within the Symantec ESM components, where the system fails to properly quote directory paths containing spaces during executable resolution. When Windows encounters an executable path without proper quotation marks, it performs a search through the PATH environment variable in a predictable order, potentially executing malicious code placed in directories earlier in the search path. This flaw is classified as CWE-428, which specifically addresses the issue of unquoted search paths in Windows environments. The vulnerability allows attackers to place malicious executables in directories that Windows will search before the intended legitimate executables, effectively enabling privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4350 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it directly compromises the integrity of enterprise security management systems. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain elevated privileges within the ESM environment, potentially allowing them to manipulate security policies, access sensitive data, or disable security controls. The affected Manager and Agent components serve as critical control points in enterprise security infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers seeking persistent access to corporate networks. The impact is further amplified because these components typically run with elevated privileges, making successful exploitation equivalent to gaining administrative access to the security management system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of Symantec Enterprise Security Manager to version 11.0 or later, where the unquoted search path issues have been resolved. Organizations should also implement proper path quoting practices in their security configurations and conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other components that might be susceptible to similar issues. System administrators should consider implementing additional security controls such as privilege separation, monitoring for suspicious executable loading patterns, and regular security audits of critical enterprise security components. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local exploits, and T1547, which addresses registry run keys and startup folder modifications that attackers might use to maintain persistence. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and monitoring for unusual process creation patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.