CVE-2021-32937 in AutoSave
Summary
by MITRE • 04/02/2022
An attacker can gain knowledge of a session temporary working folder where the getfile and putfile commands are used in MDT AutoSave versions prior to v6.02.06. An attacker can leverage this knowledge to provide a malicious command to the working directory where the read and write activity can be initiated.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-32937 represents a critical information disclosure issue affecting MDT AutoSave versions prior to v6.02.06. This flaw stems from improper handling of temporary working folders during file operations, specifically when the getfile and putfile commands are executed within the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit environment. The vulnerability exposes sensitive system information by revealing the location of temporary session directories that are typically used for file transfer operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a path traversal or directory exposure flaw where the application does not adequately sanitize or restrict access to temporary working folders. When MDT AutoSave processes file operations, it creates temporary directories that are accessible to unauthorized users. Attackers can exploit this by leveraging the disclosed path information to manipulate the working directory through malicious command injection. This creates a scenario where an attacker can inject commands into the temporary folder location, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or unauthorized file manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-32937 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables a range of malicious activities within the deployment environment. Attackers can leverage the exposed temporary directories to execute commands in the context of the AutoSave process, potentially gaining elevated privileges depending on the execution environment. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-78 Command Injection, representing a combination of path manipulation and command execution flaws. The attack vector typically follows the pattern of information gathering through path disclosure, followed by command injection into the temporary working directory, creating a persistent threat within the deployment infrastructure.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate patching of affected MDT AutoSave installations to version 6.02.06 or later, which includes proper directory handling and access restriction mechanisms. Organizations should implement strict access controls on temporary directories and ensure that file operations do not expose working folder paths to unauthorized users. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, monitoring for suspicious file operations and command execution patterns in deployment environments can help detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure temporary file handling practices and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, particularly when malicious commands are injected through compromised temporary directories. The remediation approach should also include comprehensive testing of file operation workflows to ensure that temporary directory access is properly restricted and that no path traversal vulnerabilities exist in the deployment toolkit's file handling mechanisms.