CVE-2019-18372 in Endpoint Protection
Summary
by MITRE
Symantec Endpoint Protection, prior to 14.2 RU2, may be susceptible to a privilege escalation vulnerability, which is a type of issue whereby an attacker may attempt to compromise the software application to gain elevated access to resources that are normally protected from an application or user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2019
Symantec Endpoint Protection version 14.2 RU1 and earlier contains a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows attackers to elevate their privileges within the system. This vulnerability exists in the software's handling of certain administrative operations and represents a critical security flaw that could enable unauthorized users to gain elevated system access. The flaw specifically affects the application's privilege management mechanisms, creating potential pathways for attackers to bypass normal access controls and execute operations with higher privileges than initially granted. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited to gain root or administrator level access to systems protected by the endpoint security solution, effectively undermining the security posture that the software is designed to provide. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of privilege levels during critical system operations, allowing malicious actors to manipulate the application's internal state and escalate their access rights. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-264 category of Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls, specifically addressing issues related to improper handling of privilege elevation mechanisms. The impact extends beyond simple access control bypass as it can enable attackers to perform operations that should be restricted to authorized administrators, including modifying system configurations, installing malicious software, or accessing sensitive data that would normally be protected.
The technical implementation of this privilege escalation vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly validate user privileges during critical administrative functions. When legitimate administrative operations are performed, the software should verify that the executing user possesses the appropriate authorization level before proceeding with the operation. However, in affected versions, the validation checks are insufficient or can be bypassed through specific attack vectors. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious inputs or manipulating the application's execution flow to trigger administrative operations with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because Symantec Endpoint Protection is designed to protect systems from various threats, yet it contains a flaw that allows attackers to compromise the very protection it provides. This creates a paradoxical situation where the security solution becomes a potential attack vector rather than a protective mechanism. The exploitation typically involves leveraging the application's internal APIs or command interfaces to perform operations that should require administrator privileges, but due to the flawed validation logic, these operations succeed even when executed by users with limited access rights.
The operational impact of this privilege escalation vulnerability extends far beyond the immediate compromise of individual systems. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can gain complete control over the protected systems, potentially leading to widespread data breaches, system compromise, or lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability can be particularly devastating in enterprise environments where Symantec Endpoint Protection is widely deployed, as a successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to critical infrastructure components. Organizations may experience significant operational disruption, including system downtime, data loss, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access points within networks, as elevated privileges enable them to modify system configurations, install backdoors, or disable security controls. This type of vulnerability is categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1068 for Local Privilege Escalation, indicating that attackers can leverage this flaw to gain higher-level access within compromised systems. The exploitation of this vulnerability can also result in cascading security failures, as attackers may use the elevated privileges to access other systems or applications that are protected by different security mechanisms, potentially leading to broader network compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this privilege escalation vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through software updates and comprehensive system hardening measures. Organizations must prioritize updating Symantec Endpoint Protection to version 14.2 RU2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the privilege escalation flaw. Additionally, implementing least privilege principles for system accounts and administrators can help minimize the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and monitoring controls should be enhanced to detect unusual privilege elevation activities or unauthorized administrative operations. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other potential privilege escalation paths within their environment that could be exploited in conjunction with this vulnerability. System administrators should review and tighten access controls for administrative functions, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to critical system operations. The implementation of additional monitoring and alerting mechanisms for privilege-related activities can help detect exploitation attempts before they succeed. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that the security controls are functioning correctly and that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the Symantec Endpoint Protection deployment. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and maintaining detailed audit logs of all administrative activities to facilitate incident response efforts in case of successful exploitation attempts.