CVE-2013-7461 in Security Change Control
Summary
by MITRE
A write protection and execution bypass vulnerability in McAfee (now Intel Security) Change Control (MCC) 6.1.0 for Linux and earlier allows authenticated users to change files that are part of write protection rules via specific conditions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-7461 represents a critical security flaw in McAfee Change Control version 6.1.0 and earlier implementations for Linux systems. This issue specifically targets the write protection mechanisms that are fundamental to the integrity protection capabilities of the software. The vulnerability exists within the access control implementation where authenticated users can bypass established write protection rules through carefully crafted conditions that exploit weaknesses in the software's permission handling logic.
The technical flaw manifests as a failure in the software's validation mechanisms that should prevent modifications to files designated under write protection rules. When authenticated users attempt to modify protected files, the system should enforce strict access controls that prevent such actions. However, this vulnerability allows attackers to bypass these controls through specific operational conditions that cause the system to incorrectly evaluate the permission requirements. The flaw operates at the boundary between user authentication and file access control, where the software fails to properly validate that the requesting user has the appropriate permissions for the specific file modification operations.
This vulnerability has significant operational impact as it undermines the core security posture of systems relying on McAfee Change Control for file integrity protection. Attackers who can authenticate to the system can potentially modify critical system files, configuration files, or application files that are supposed to be protected from unauthorized changes. The implications extend beyond simple file modification to include potential system compromise, privilege escalation, and the ability to establish persistent access points within protected environments. The vulnerability affects organizations that depend on write protection rules to maintain system integrity and prevent unauthorized modifications to critical components.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software systems. This weakness specifically relates to insufficient authorization checks that allow unauthorized modifications to protected resources. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader exploitation campaign, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges or establish backdoors through the bypassed write protection mechanisms. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the techniques related to privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in security software and highlights the potential for internal threats to exploit weaknesses in protection mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate software updates to versions that address this vulnerability, as well as implementing additional monitoring and logging of file access attempts to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review their current write protection rules and ensure that proper user access controls are in place. Network segmentation and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other security controls. Additionally, implementing comprehensive audit trails for file modification activities will help in detecting unauthorized access attempts and providing forensic evidence of potential security incidents.