CVE-2016-7219 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
The Crypto driver in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607, and Windows Server 2016 allows local users to obtain sensitive information via a crafted application, aka "Windows Crypto Driver Information Disclosure Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7219 resides within the cryptographic driver component of Microsoft Windows operating systems spanning multiple versions including Vista SP2 through Windows 10 1607 and their respective server counterparts. This flaw represents a critical information disclosure weakness that affects the underlying crypto driver architecture responsible for handling cryptographic operations and key management within the Windows ecosystem. The vulnerability specifically manifests when a crafted application attempts to interact with the cryptographic subsystem, potentially exposing sensitive data through improper access control mechanisms.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and access controls within the Windows Crypto API driver implementation. When malicious applications attempt to query or interact with cryptographic resources, the driver fails to properly enforce security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized access to internal cryptographic state information. This weakness creates an information disclosure channel that allows local users to potentially extract sensitive cryptographic data, including key material, session information, and other confidential parameters that should remain protected within the secure cryptographic subsystem. The flaw operates at the kernel level within the crypto driver, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by any local user with minimal privileges to access information that would normally be restricted to privileged system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked cryptographic information could potentially be leveraged by attackers to compromise the security of encrypted communications, digital signatures, and other cryptographic operations relying on the affected Windows versions. Attackers could use the disclosed information to perform cryptographic attacks against encrypted data, potentially decrypting sensitive communications or forging digital signatures. The vulnerability affects systems where the crypto driver is actively utilized, which encompasses virtually all Windows systems that perform cryptographic operations, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where sensitive data protection is paramount. This information disclosure could also facilitate more sophisticated attacks by providing attackers with insights into cryptographic implementations and key structures that could be used to develop targeted exploits against other system components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7219 should focus on applying Microsoft security patches immediately, as the vendor has released updates specifically addressing this vulnerability through regular security bulletins. Organizations should prioritize patch deployment across all affected Windows versions, particularly in environments where sensitive data processing occurs. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact of exploitation by reducing the attack surface available to local users. Additionally, monitoring for unusual cryptographic API calls and implementing security controls that restrict access to cryptographic resources can provide defense-in-depth measures. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper information disclosure, and could potentially be leveraged as part of broader attack chains in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the information gathering and credential access phases, where attackers might use information disclosure to build intelligence for subsequent exploitation attempts.