CVE-2016-8012 in Data Loss Prevention Endpoint
Summary
by MITRE
Access control vulnerability in Intel Security Data Loss Prevention Endpoint (DLPe) 9.4.200 and 9.3.600 allows authenticated users with Read-Write-Execute permissions to inject hook DLLs into other processes via pages in the target process memory get.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2020
The CVE-2016-8012 vulnerability represents a critical access control flaw within Intel Security Data Loss Prevention Endpoint software version 9.4.200 and 9.3.600. This vulnerability specifically targets the privilege escalation mechanisms within the endpoint protection framework, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on Intel Security solutions for data protection. The flaw exists in how the system handles process memory manipulation and dynamic link library injection capabilities, fundamentally undermining the security boundaries that should protect against unauthorized code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a specific mechanism involving authenticated users who possess Read-Write-Execute permissions within the system. These users can leverage their elevated privileges to inject hook DLLs directly into the memory space of other running processes. The attack vector specifically utilizes pages within target process memory that have been allocated for execution, allowing the malicious code to be seamlessly integrated into the legitimate process execution flow. This technique bypasses traditional security controls by operating within the legitimate execution context of the target application, making detection significantly more challenging.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables sophisticated attack patterns that can compromise entire system architectures. Attackers can use this capability to inject malicious code into critical system processes, potentially gaining access to sensitive data, modifying system behavior, or establishing persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Intel Security DLPe is deployed for endpoint protection, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited to undermine the very security controls that organizations rely upon for data protection. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where the security solution becomes a vector for exploitation rather than a protective barrier.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including restricting user permissions to minimize the attack surface, implementing strict process memory protection mechanisms, and deploying additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized DLL injection attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically addressing improper access control within the system's privilege management framework. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1055 Process Injection and T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, demonstrating how the flaw enables multiple attack pathways that can be chained together for more sophisticated compromises. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies, enhanced memory protection features, and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities within their endpoint protection ecosystems.