CVE-2015-2428 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
Object Manager in 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 does not properly constrain impersonation levels during interaction with object symbolic links that originated in a sandboxed process, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Windows Object Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2428 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Windows Object Manager component that affects multiple versions of the windows operating system including vista sp2 server 2008 sp2 and r2 sp1 windows 7 sp1 windows 8 windows 81 windows server 2012 gold and r2 and windows rt gold and 81. this issue stems from improper handling of impersonation levels when processing object symbolic links that originate from sandboxed processes creating a pathway for local attackers to elevate their privileges. the flaw resides in the object manager's failure to properly validate and constrain impersonation contexts during inter-process communication scenarios involving symbolic link operations. according to the mitre cwe database this vulnerability maps to cwe-264 permissions privileges and access controls category indicating a weakness in the system's ability to enforce proper access control mechanisms. the attack vector requires local system access and involves crafting a malicious application that can manipulate symbolic link interactions to bypass security restrictions imposed by the windows object manager. the exploitation process leverages the inherent trust relationships between processes and the object manager's handling of impersonation contexts to escalate privileges from standard user to system level access. this vulnerability directly impacts the windows security model's ability to maintain proper isolation between processes and can be classified under the attack technique t1068 privilege escalation within the attack framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the object manager's insufficient validation of impersonation levels when processing symbolic link operations originating from sandboxed processes. when a process creates or interacts with symbolic links that point to objects in different security contexts the object manager should enforce proper impersonation level constraints to prevent unauthorized access. however the flaw allows an attacker to manipulate these interactions by crafting applications that can force the object manager to accept elevated impersonation levels from sandboxed processes. the vulnerability specifically affects how the system handles the transition between different security contexts during object access operations and represents a failure in the kernel-mode object manager's security validation logic. the exploitation requires the attacker to have local access to the target system and involves creating a malicious application that can leverage the improper impersonation level handling to gain elevated privileges. this weakness allows for privilege escalation from user level to system level access by manipulating the object manager's handling of symbolic link operations and impersonation contexts. the vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level where the object manager handles core system operations and security enforcement mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2428 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to represent a fundamental weakness in windows security architecture that could enable attackers to gain complete system control. once successfully exploited the vulnerability allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges potentially leading to complete system compromise and data exfiltration. the vulnerability affects a broad range of windows versions making it particularly dangerous as organizations with mixed environments could be exposed to exploitation across multiple systems. security researchers have noted that the flaw could be combined with other techniques to create more sophisticated attacks including lateral movement and persistence mechanisms. the vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be automated making it attractive to both automated attack tools and advanced persistent threat actors. organizations running affected windows versions face significant risk as this vulnerability could be leveraged to establish backdoors, steal sensitive data, or deploy additional malware without detection. the impact is further amplified by the fact that the vulnerability operates at the kernel level where the system's security controls are most critical and where traditional user-mode protections may not apply.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2428 primarily focus on applying microsoft security updates and patches as the most effective solution to address the underlying vulnerability. organizations should immediately deploy the security patches released by microsoft to remediate the privilege escalation vulnerability in affected windows versions. in addition to patching administrators should implement additional security controls including disabling unnecessary services and applications that might interact with object manager operations, implementing strict access control policies, and monitoring for suspicious process interactions with symbolic links. the security community recommends enabling application control mechanisms and restricting user privileges to minimize the potential impact of exploitation attempts. organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect unusual activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. while the vulnerability affects multiple windows versions organizations should prioritize patching critical systems and those with high-value assets. the mitigation approach should include regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation vectors and ensure that proper access controls are maintained throughout the system environment. compliance with industry standards including iso 27001 and nist cybersecurity frameworks should be maintained to ensure comprehensive security posture against this and similar vulnerabilities. security teams should also implement incident response procedures specifically tailored to address privilege escalation attacks targeting kernel-level components and establish regular training for administrators on recognizing and responding to such threats.