CVE-2013-1609 in Enterprise Vault
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unquoted Windows search path vulnerabilities in the (1) File Collector and (2) File PlaceHolder services in Symantec Enterprise Vault (EV) for File System Archiving before 9.0.4 and 10.x before 10.0.1 allow local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse program.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1609 represents a critical security flaw in Symantec Enterprise Vault File System Archiving components that affects versions prior to 9.0.4 and 10.x before 10.0.1. This issue manifests through unquoted Windows search path vulnerabilities in two core services: the File Collector and File PlaceHolder services. The fundamental problem lies in how these services handle path resolution when searching for required executables or libraries, creating exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by local attackers to escalate privileges. These vulnerabilities fall under the category of path traversal and privilege escalation attacks, specifically aligning with CWE-428 which addresses unquoted search paths and CWE-269 which covers improper privilege management.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when Windows searches for executable files in a specific order through the system PATH environment variable. When service paths are not properly quoted, Windows will search through each directory in the PATH sequentially until it finds an executable with the matching name. Attackers can place malicious executables in directories earlier in the PATH, causing the vulnerable services to execute these malicious programs instead of the legitimate ones. The File Collector and File PlaceHolder services in Symantec Enterprise Vault are particularly susceptible because they operate with elevated privileges and their service paths contain unquoted strings that can be manipulated by local users. This allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the service account, which typically has extensive system access rights.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1609 is significant as it provides local users with a means to escalate their privileges to SYSTEM level access, bypassing normal authentication and authorization controls. Once exploited, attackers can gain complete control over the affected system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, or use as a foothold for further network infiltration. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Symantec Enterprise Vault is deployed, as these systems often contain sensitive organizational data and operate with elevated privileges. The attack vector is relatively straightforward, requiring only local access to the system, making it accessible to both malicious insiders and external attackers who have gained initial access through other means.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for Symantec Enterprise Vault versions prior to 9.0.4 and 10.0.1. Additionally, system administrators should ensure that all service paths are properly quoted to prevent unquoted search path exploitation. The recommended approach involves reviewing and correcting the service configuration files to include proper quotation marks around all paths. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper service hardening and configuration management practices. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and persistence mechanisms, specifically T1068 for local privilege escalation and T1543 for service execution. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual service execution patterns and maintain regular security assessments to identify similar path traversal vulnerabilities in other enterprise applications.