CVE-2020-1141 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI) handles objects in memory, allowing an attacker to retrieve information from a targeted system, aka 'Windows GDI Information Disclosure Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-0963, CVE-2020-1145, CVE-2020-1179.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2020
The Windows Graphics Device Interface GDI information disclosure vulnerability represents a critical security flaw within Microsoft's core graphics subsystem that enables attackers to extract sensitive memory contents from targeted systems. This vulnerability specifically affects how GDI manages graphical objects in memory, creating an exploitable condition where unauthorized data access can occur through carefully crafted malicious inputs. The flaw exists in the memory handling mechanisms of the graphics subsystem and operates at a fundamental level that impacts the security boundaries of the Windows operating system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the kernel-level graphics processing components that handle various graphical operations across the entire system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the GDI subsystem where graphical objects are not adequately validated before being processed or accessed. When legitimate applications interact with GDI functions to create or manipulate graphical elements, the system fails to properly sanitize memory references that could contain sensitive data from other processes or system components. This allows an attacker to craft specific inputs that cause GDI to return memory addresses or contents that should remain protected, effectively creating a side-channel information leak. The flaw operates through the manipulation of graphics object handles and memory pointers that are processed by the kernel-level GDI drivers without sufficient bounds checking or memory isolation mechanisms. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-200, Information Exposure, and can be classified as a memory corruption issue that enables unauthorized information retrieval.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can provide attackers with critical system information that may be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially gather process memory contents, kernel addresses, or other sensitive data that would aid in bypassing security mitigations such as address space layout randomization or stack canaries. The information obtained through this vulnerability could enable attackers to develop more effective exploits against other system components or to conduct targeted attacks against specific processes running on the system. This information disclosure capability significantly weakens the overall security posture of affected systems and can serve as a stepping stone for privilege escalation or lateral movement within a network environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch deployment from Microsoft as the primary defense mechanism, with additional operational security measures to reduce the attack surface. System administrators should prioritize applying the relevant security updates from Microsoft's monthly security bulletin releases, as this vulnerability affects multiple Windows versions including Windows 10, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2019. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit potential exploitation paths, while monitoring for unusual graphical processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in kernel-level subsystems and highlights the need for robust input validation in graphics processing components. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict potentially malicious graphical applications from running on critical systems, and maintain comprehensive logging of graphics-related system calls to detect anomalous behavior patterns.