CVE-2017-8482 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
The kernel in Microsoft 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, 1607, 1703, and Windows Server 2016 allows an authenticated attacker to obtain information via a specially crafted application. aka "Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2017-8492, CVE-2017-8491, CVE-2017-8490, CVE-2017-8489, CVE-2017-8488, CVE-2017-8485, CVE-2017-8483, CVE-2017-8480, CVE-2017-8479, CVE-2017-8478, CVE-2017-8476, CVE-2017-8474, CVE-2017-8469, CVE-2017-8462, CVE-2017-0300, CVE-2017-0299, and CVE-2017-0297.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Windows kernel implementation that affects multiple operating system versions including 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 versions from Gold through 1703, and Windows Server 2016. The vulnerability specifically resides in the kernel's handling of certain memory management operations and system calls, allowing authenticated attackers with local access to potentially extract sensitive information from kernel memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category of CWE-200, which deals with information exposure, and represents a privilege escalation vector that could enable attackers to gain deeper insights into system memory structures and potentially aid in subsequent exploitation attempts.
The technical mechanism behind this information disclosure involves improper validation of kernel memory access operations during specific system call processing. Attackers can craft specially designed applications that trigger kernel routines which fail to properly sanitize memory contents before returning information to user-space processes. This flaw enables an authenticated user to read kernel memory locations that should remain protected, potentially exposing sensitive data such as kernel pointers, stack contents, or other internal system information that could be leveraged to bypass security mitigations or develop more sophisticated attack vectors. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers might use such information to refine their exploitation strategies.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance data that could facilitate more advanced attacks. When combined with other vulnerabilities, this information disclosure could enable attackers to perform kernel address space layout randomization (ASLR) bypass techniques or exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities more effectively. The authenticated nature of this flaw means that attackers must first establish a foothold on the system, but once achieved, they can leverage this vulnerability to gather system intelligence that would otherwise be protected. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where privilege escalation is a primary objective, as it provides attackers with the information needed to craft more precise and effective exploitation techniques.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant security updates provided by Microsoft through Windows Update or Microsoft Update Catalog. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems, particularly those running older Windows versions such as Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7, which remain vulnerable and are no longer supported with security updates. Network segmentation and privilege separation measures can help limit the potential impact if an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring for unusual system call patterns or memory access operations could help detect exploitation attempts, though this requires careful implementation to avoid false positives in normal system operations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date systems and the risks associated with running unsupported operating systems that no longer receive security patches from vendors.