CVE-2015-1681 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1 allow local users to cause a denial of service via a crafted .msc file, aka "Microsoft Management Console File Format Denial of Service Vulnerability."
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1681 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Microsoft Management Console implementations across multiple operating system versions including Windows Vista SP2 through Windows 8.1. This weakness specifically affects systems running Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1. The vulnerability manifests when a maliciously crafted .msc file is processed by the Microsoft Management Console component, which serves as the foundation for various system administration tools and console applications in the Windows ecosystem.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation within the Microsoft Management Console's handling of .msc file formats. When a local attacker crafts a specially designed .msc file containing malformed or excessive data structures, the console application fails to properly validate the file contents before attempting to process them. This lack of proper validation creates a condition where the console application becomes unable to properly parse the malicious file, leading to a system crash or complete denial of service. The flaw operates at the application level within the management console framework, which is designed to execute administrative tools and console applications, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where system administrators frequently interact with console applications.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability provides local attackers with a straightforward method to disrupt system availability and potentially compromise business continuity. Since the attack requires only local access to the target system, it can be exploited by any user with local login privileges, including potentially compromised accounts or insider threats. The denial of service can manifest as complete system crashes, application hang conditions, or forced restarts that disrupt ongoing administrative tasks and system operations. Given that Windows Management Console is integral to system administration and monitoring activities, this vulnerability can severely impact IT operations and system reliability. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as administrators may be unable to access critical system tools and management interfaces during an attack, potentially leading to extended downtime and operational disruption.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that can lead to system instability. From an attack framework perspective, this weakness maps to the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1489, which covers denial of service attacks and specifically addresses the exploitation of system vulnerabilities to disrupt availability. The attack vector requires local system access, making it a low-barrier threat that can be executed by users with minimal privileges. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a core component of Windows management infrastructure, and the impact can cascade through enterprise environments where administrators rely heavily on console-based tools for system maintenance and monitoring. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to address this vulnerability, as Microsoft released security updates to correct the input validation issues in the Microsoft Management Console component. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain awareness of local privilege escalation vectors that could be used to amplify the impact of this vulnerability.