CVE-2020-24162 in App
Summary
by MITRE
The Shenzhen Tencent app 5.8.2.5300 for PC platforms (from Tencent App Center) has a DLL hijacking vulnerability. Attackers can use this vulnerability to execute malicious code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-24162 represents a critical DLL hijacking flaw within the Shenzhen Tencent application version 5.8.2.5300 designed for personal computer platforms. This security weakness resides within the application's dynamic link library loading mechanism, specifically in how it resolves and loads external libraries during runtime operations. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of library search paths, allowing malicious actors to place crafted DLL files in locations where the legitimate application expects to find its dependencies. This flaw affects the Tencent App Center distribution and impacts users running the affected PC version of the application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with common DLL hijacking patterns classified under CWE-426, which describes the dangerous practice of allowing untrusted code to be loaded into a process through insecure library loading mechanisms. The vulnerability occurs when the application fails to explicitly specify the full path to required DLL files, instead relying on the system's library search order. This behavior creates opportunities for attackers to place malicious DLL files in directories that are searched before the legitimate libraries, effectively causing the system to load and execute unauthorized code. The attack vector specifically targets the application's startup process or runtime library loading sequences where external dependencies are resolved.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution on victim machines with the privileges of the affected application. The exploitation process typically involves placing a malicious DLL file in a directory that appears earlier in the system's library search path, often the current working directory or a location where the application expects its dependencies. Once executed, the malicious code can perform various harmful actions including data exfiltration, system reconnaissance, privilege escalation, or installation of additional malware components. The vulnerability affects all users running the specific affected version of the Tencent application, making it particularly concerning for widespread exploitation potential.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate application updates from Tencent to address the insecure library loading behavior through proper path specification and enhanced security controls. System administrators should implement application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized DLL files and monitor for suspicious library loading activities. The use of security tools such as process monitoring software can help detect anomalous library loading patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should avoid running applications from untrusted sources and maintain updated antivirus signatures that can detect malicious DLL files associated with this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing least privilege principles and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the software security guidelines and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution through malicious code injection methods.