CVE-2021-27193 in Vision Pro
Summary
by MITRE • 03/25/2021
Incorrect default permissions vulnerability in the API of Netop Vision Pro up to and including 9.7.1 allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to read and write files on the remote machine with system privileges resulting in a privilege escalation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2021
The CVE-2021-27193 vulnerability represents a critical access control flaw within the Netop Vision Pro remote management software ecosystem. This vulnerability specifically affects versions 9.7.1 and earlier, where the application programming interface fails to properly enforce authentication and authorization controls for file system operations. The issue stems from improper default permission configurations that allow unauthenticated remote attackers to establish connections and execute file operations with elevated system privileges, creating a severe privilege escalation vector.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the API service failing to validate incoming requests properly, resulting in a lack of mandatory access controls. When remote attackers connect to the vulnerable API endpoint, they can bypass authentication mechanisms entirely and gain unrestricted access to file system operations. This flaw operates at the application layer and leverages the underlying operating system's permission model to escalate privileges from standard user level to system level access. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in authorization controls and can be mapped to CWE-284, which describes improper access control due to insufficient or incorrect access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it enables complete system compromise through privilege escalation. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to read sensitive system files, modify critical application components, install malicious software, or establish persistent backdoors within the target environment. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any network location without requiring physical access or prior authentication credentials. This characteristic significantly increases the attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where remote management tools are commonly deployed.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the privilege escalation and persistence tactics. The vulnerability aligns with techniques such as 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and 'Taint Data' where attackers can manipulate system files to gain elevated privileges. Organizations using Netop Vision Pro should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches, reviewing and restricting API access through network segmentation, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. The recommended remediation involves updating to version 9.7.2 or later where the API access controls have been properly implemented to prevent unauthenticated file system operations. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing firewall rules to restrict access to the affected API ports and establish comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.