CVE-2019-1095 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability exists when the Windows GDI component improperly discloses the contents of its memory, aka 'Windows GDI Information Disclosure Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2019-1094, CVE-2019-1098, CVE-2019-1099, CVE-2019-1100, CVE-2019-1101, CVE-2019-1116.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2023
The Windows Graphics Device Interface GDI component vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw that affects the operating system's graphics rendering subsystem. This vulnerability specifically impacts how the GDI component manages memory operations and handles graphical data processing, creating potential exposure points for sensitive information that should remain protected within system memory boundaries. The issue manifests when the component fails to properly validate or sanitize memory access operations during graphical processing tasks, leading to unintended data leakage.
This vulnerability operates at the kernel level within the Windows operating system, specifically within the GDI subsystem that handles graphical operations for applications. The technical flaw involves improper memory management practices where the GDI component does not adequately protect memory regions containing sensitive data structures, user information, or system resources. When certain graphical operations are performed, the component may inadvertently expose memory contents through improper pointer handling, buffer overflows, or insufficient access controls during rendering processes. This represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and memory protection mechanisms, aligning with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) categories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it could potentially enable attackers to extract sensitive data that might include user credentials, application data, or system configuration details. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to gain insights into system memory structures, potentially facilitating more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation or further exploitation of related vulnerabilities. The vulnerability affects systems running vulnerable versions of Windows and could be exploited remotely through malicious applications or documents that trigger the problematic GDI processing paths. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) frameworks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate application of Microsoft security patches and updates to address the specific GDI memory handling flaws. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit potential exploitation vectors, while monitoring for suspicious graphical processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper memory management practices in operating system components and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of kernel-level subsystems. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation opportunities and ensure robust defense-in-depth strategies are maintained across their infrastructure.