CVE-2018-15591 in Workspace Control
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Ivanti Workspace Control before 10.3.10.0 and RES One Workspace. A local authenticated user can bypass Application Whitelisting restrictions to execute arbitrary code by leveraging multiple unspecified attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2023
This vulnerability exists in Ivanti Workspace Control versions prior to 10.3.10.0 and RES One Workspace products, representing a critical security flaw that undermines fundamental application control mechanisms. The issue allows local authenticated users to circumvent application whitelisting policies through unspecified attack vectors, effectively granting them the ability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This represents a significant bypass of security controls that are designed to prevent unauthorized software execution and maintain system integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the application whitelisting functionality that is crucial for enterprise security environments where organizations rely on controlled application execution to prevent malware and unauthorized software deployment.
The technical nature of this flaw suggests a weakness in the authorization and validation mechanisms within the Workspace Control software. Application whitelisting systems typically maintain lists of approved applications and block all others, but this vulnerability enables attackers to bypass these restrictions through multiple unspecified attack vectors. The fact that multiple attack vectors are involved indicates a systemic weakness rather than a single point of failure, potentially involving privilege escalation, code injection, or manipulation of the whitelisting enforcement mechanisms. This vulnerability operates at the system level where authenticated users can leverage their existing access to perform actions that should be restricted by security policies. The attack vectors likely involve exploiting weaknesses in how the system validates application execution requests or how it enforces whitelisting rules.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations using Ivanti Workspace Control or RES One Workspace solutions, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of systems that depend on these tools for application control. Organizations may experience unauthorized software execution, potential data breaches, and increased attack surface for subsequent exploits. The local authenticated user access requirement means that an attacker would need to first obtain legitimate user credentials, but once achieved, they could execute arbitrary code on systems with elevated privileges. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of systems where these tools are deployed, potentially allowing attackers to install malware, escalate privileges, or access sensitive data. The implications extend beyond immediate code execution to broader system compromise and potential lateral movement within networks.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patches for Ivanti Workspace Control version 10.3.10.0 and RES One Workspace to remediate this vulnerability. System administrators should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and monitor for unusual application execution patterns. Additional mitigations include implementing least privilege access controls, enhancing monitoring of application execution, and reviewing existing security policies to ensure proper enforcement of application whitelisting. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and potentially CWE-749 (Exposed Dangerous Method or Function) in its exploitation methods. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms, specifically T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) where attackers can leverage the system to execute arbitrary commands. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and the risks associated with delayed patch management in enterprise environments where application control is essential for security.