CVE-2020-0613 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows Search Indexer handles objects in memory, aka 'Windows Search Indexer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-0614, CVE-2020-0623, CVE-2020-0625, CVE-2020-0626, CVE-2020-0627, CVE-2020-0628, CVE-2020-0629, CVE-2020-0630, CVE-2020-0631, CVE-2020-0632, CVE-2020-0633.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0613 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Windows Search Indexer component, specifically manifesting in how the system handles objects in memory. This vulnerability exists in the Windows operating system's search functionality that indexes content across various file types and locations. The Windows Search Indexer is a background service responsible for creating and maintaining search indexes of files, emails, and other content stored on the system. When processing certain file objects, particularly those with malformed or specially crafted structures, the indexer fails to properly validate memory operations, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to escalate their privileges from standard user level to system level access. This flaw directly impacts the security model of Windows operating systems by allowing unauthorized code execution with elevated privileges, bypassing standard access controls and user account protection mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through memory corruption within the Windows Search Indexer process, which operates with high privileges to perform indexing operations. The flaw manifests when the indexer processes specially crafted files or objects that trigger improper memory handling routines, potentially leading to buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by placing maliciously constructed files in locations that the search indexer monitors, such as shared network drives, user directories, or system folders. The vulnerability's root cause aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities. These memory handling issues can be exploited through techniques that manipulate the indexer's processing behavior to execute arbitrary code within the context of the elevated indexer process, effectively granting attackers complete system control.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-0613 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a persistent and stealthy method for system compromise. Once exploited, the attacker gains system-level privileges, enabling them to modify critical system files, install malware, create backdoors, or exfiltrate sensitive data without detection. The vulnerability affects multiple Windows versions including Windows 10, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2019, making it a widespread concern across enterprise environments. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability operates at the system level and can be particularly dangerous in corporate networks where users may have access to shared resources that the indexer monitors. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that the Windows Search Indexer runs with elevated privileges and continuously monitors file system changes, providing multiple opportunities for exploitation. This vulnerability is categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1068, which describes 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation', and T1059, which covers 'Command and Scripting Interpreter', as attackers can leverage the elevated privileges to execute additional malicious commands.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-0613 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. Microsoft released security updates that address this vulnerability through patches available in the June 2020 security updates for Windows operating systems. Organizations should prioritize applying these patches across all affected systems immediately, as the vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild. Additional mitigations include disabling the Windows Search service for users who do not require search functionality, implementing strict file access controls on directories monitored by the indexer, and monitoring for suspicious file creation patterns in system directories. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security teams should also implement monitoring for abnormal processes running with elevated privileges and establish baseline behaviors for the Windows Search Indexer to detect anomalous activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in system services and the need for proper memory validation in components that handle untrusted input data. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of unauthorized code, particularly in environments where the indexer processes files from untrusted sources.