CVE-2013-2176 in Enterprise Virtualization
Summary
by MITRE
Unquoted Windows search path vulnerability in the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Application Provisioning Tool (RHEV-APT) in the rhev-guest-tools-iso package 3.2 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2176 represents a critical unquoted search path weakness within the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Application Provisioning Tool ecosystem. This flaw specifically affects the rhev-guest-tools-iso package version 3.2 and exists within the broader RHEV-APT framework that manages virtual machine provisioning in enterprise virtualized environments. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of executable paths during the application loading process, creating opportunities for privilege escalation through malicious Trojan horse applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the Windows search path behavior where the operating system searches for executables in a specific order without requiring explicit path quoting. When applications are installed in directories with spaces in their names, and these paths are not properly quoted in the system configuration, Windows will search through each directory component in the path until it finds an executable with the requested name. This creates a race condition where a malicious actor can place a Trojan horse executable in a directory that gets searched before the legitimate application, thereby executing the malicious code with the privileges of the legitimate application.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise virtualization environments as it allows local users to escalate their privileges without requiring elevated access initially. The attack vector typically involves placing a malicious executable with the same name as a legitimate application in a directory that appears earlier in the Windows search path. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-428, which specifically addresses unquoted search paths, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1068, privilege escalation through service execution. The impact extends beyond simple local privilege escalation to potentially compromise entire virtualized environments where the RHEV-APT tool is deployed.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention through multiple remediation approaches. System administrators should implement proper path quoting for all executable references within the RHEV-APT framework and ensure that all application paths containing spaces are properly enclosed in quotation marks. The most effective immediate fix involves updating the rhev-guest-tools-iso package to a version that addresses this specific search path vulnerability, as Red Hat would have released patches to correct the unquoted path handling. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and privilege separation within virtualized environments can help limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Regular security audits of Windows search paths and application installation directories should be conducted to prevent similar issues from arising in other components of the virtualization infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting solutions and monitoring for suspicious executable placements in system directories to detect potential exploitation attempts.