CVE-2018-15592 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 execute processes with elevated privileges via an unspecified attack vector.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15592 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw affecting Ivanti Workspace Control versions prior to 10.3.10.0 and RES One Workspace implementations. This security weakness allows a locally authenticated attacker to elevate their privileges and execute processes with higher permissions than initially granted. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms within the workspace management framework, creating a pathway for malicious users to bypass standard security boundaries. The unspecified attack vector suggests that the flaw may be exploitable through multiple entry points within the system architecture, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on these workspace control solutions for enterprise environment management.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management and inadequate access control. The flaw likely exists in the way the system handles process execution permissions or user context switching mechanisms. When a local user authenticates to the workspace control environment, the system should maintain strict privilege boundaries between user sessions and administrative functions. However, the vulnerability enables an authenticated user to manipulate system calls or process execution pathways that should normally be restricted to privileged accounts. This type of vulnerability typically arises from missing validation checks in privilege escalation workflows or insufficient sandboxing of user processes within the workspace control environment.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise security postures and compliance requirements. Organizations using affected versions of Ivanti Workspace Control or RES One Workspace may experience unauthorized access to sensitive system resources, potential data exfiltration, and disruption of critical business processes. The local authenticated nature of the exploit means that an attacker would need initial access to a legitimate user account, but once achieved, they could potentially gain administrative control over the workspace environment. This capability could enable attackers to modify system configurations, install malicious software, or establish persistent access points within the organization's infrastructure. The impact extends beyond individual systems to affect the broader enterprise security ecosystem, particularly in environments where workspace control solutions manage critical user sessions and application access.
Effective mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-15592 require immediate deployment of the vendor-provided patches and updates for Ivanti Workspace Control 10.3.10.0 and RES One Workspace. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit local user privileges and reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation. Additionally, implementing robust monitoring and logging mechanisms around process execution and privilege escalation events can help detect anomalous activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also review and update their incident response procedures to address potential privilege escalation scenarios, ensuring that administrators can quickly identify and respond to unauthorized access attempts within workspace control environments. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in controlled environments before widespread deployment to avoid potential service disruptions.