CVE-2019-0129 in USB 3.0 Creator Utility
Summary
by MITRE
Improper permissions for Intel(R) USB 3.0 Creator Utility all versions may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0129 affects the Intel(R) USB 3.0 Creator Utility across all versions, presenting a significant security risk through improper permission settings that could enable privilege escalation. This utility is designed for creating bootable USB drives and managing USB 3.0 device configurations, making it a critical component in system deployment and maintenance processes. The flaw specifically manifests in the application's handling of file and directory permissions, where insufficient access controls allow authenticated users to manipulate system resources that should remain restricted to privileged operations. The vulnerability exists at the system level rather than being a network-based issue, requiring local access but not network exposure to exploit.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate privilege separation within the Intel USB 3.0 Creator Utility implementation. When the application executes with elevated privileges during certain operations, it fails to properly enforce access controls for critical system components. This misconfiguration allows an authenticated user who has access to the system to potentially manipulate the utility's execution environment and gain elevated privileges through local access methods. The flaw represents a classic case of insufficient privilege management where the application does not adequately verify the security context of operations performed by users with authenticated access. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-276, which addresses improper permissions, specifically focusing on inadequate access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-0129 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, creating potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within compromised systems. An attacker with local access and authenticated credentials could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The utility's role in system deployment makes it particularly attractive to threat actors, as successful exploitation could enable persistent access to target systems. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where system administrators frequently use such utilities, as it could allow attackers to establish footholds that persist across system reboots or maintenance cycles. The attack surface is limited to local system access but represents a significant risk when combined with other exploitation techniques or when the utility is used in automated deployment scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-0129 should focus on immediate remediation through official Intel patches and updates that address the permission handling flaws. System administrators should implement strict access controls limiting who can execute the utility and ensure that it runs with minimal required privileges rather than elevated permissions. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by configuring the utility to operate with standard user permissions whenever possible, and only elevating when absolutely necessary for specific operations. Additionally, monitoring and logging should be implemented to detect unusual usage patterns or attempts to exploit the privilege escalation mechanism. Organizations should also consider disabling or removing the utility from systems where it is not essential for operations, particularly in environments where strict security controls are required. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability falls under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code with elevated privileges through improper access controls and permission management flaws.