CVE-2020-6024 in SmartConsole
Summary
by MITRE • 01/21/2021
Check Point SmartConsole before R80.10 Build 185, R80.20 Build 119, R80.30 before Build 94, R80.40 before Build 415, and R81 before Build 548 were vulnerable to a possible local privilege escalation due to running executables from a directory with write access to all authenticated users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-6024 represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw affecting Check Point SmartConsole versions across multiple release branches. This issue stems from poor privilege separation and insecure directory permissions within the software's execution environment. The affected versions include R80.10 Build 185 and earlier, R80.20 Build 119 and earlier, R80.30 prior to Build 94, R80.40 prior to Build 415, and R81 prior to Build 548, indicating a widespread impact across Check Point's security management platform. The vulnerability manifests when executables are launched from directories that permit write access to all authenticated users, creating a dangerous attack surface where malicious actors can manipulate system components.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper file permissions and inadequate access control mechanisms. When the SmartConsole application executes programs from directories accessible to authenticated users, it creates an environment where privilege escalation becomes possible through file replacement or modification attacks. The flaw essentially allows any authenticated user to potentially substitute legitimate executables with malicious binaries that will execute with elevated privileges. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege, as the system fails to properly isolate execution environments from user-accessible directories.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to security infrastructure management systems. Attackers who gain access to authenticated user accounts can leverage this weakness to escalate their privileges and potentially gain administrative control over the entire security management platform. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can enable attackers to modify security policies, access sensitive network data, or compromise the integrity of the entire security infrastructure. This vulnerability directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers 'Local Privilege Escalation' and can be used to establish persistent access to critical network security systems.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-6024 require immediate implementation of proper directory permission controls and privilege separation mechanisms. Organizations should ensure that executable directories are not writable by authenticated users and that proper access controls are enforced throughout the SmartConsole execution environment. The most effective remediation involves applying the vendor patches released for each affected version, as these updates typically address the underlying permission issues and implement proper privilege separation. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of suspicious file modification activities in system directories can help detect exploitation attempts. Security administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls such as mandatory access controls or file integrity monitoring solutions to prevent unauthorized modifications to critical system executables.