CVE-2021-45440 in Apex One
Summary
by MITRE • 01/10/2022
A unnecessary privilege vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex One and Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security 10.0 SP1 (on-prem versions only) could allow a local attacker to abuse an impersonation privilege and elevate to a higher level of privileges. Please note: an attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-45440 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security versions 10.0 SP1, specifically affecting on-premises deployments. This issue stems from an improper implementation of privilege management mechanisms that allows local attackers to exploit existing impersonation capabilities. The vulnerability specifically targets the Windows operating system environment where these security solutions operate, creating a pathway for malicious actors to escalate their privileges from low-level user access to elevated system privileges.
The technical flaw manifests through an unnecessary privilege assignment that enables local attackers to leverage existing impersonation functionality for unauthorized privilege elevation. This vulnerability operates under the principle of privilege creep where the system grants more access rights than necessary for normal operations. The exploitation requires an initial foothold through code execution with low privileges, which then allows the attacker to abuse the system's impersonation mechanisms. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-269: "Improper Privilege Management" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068: "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" within the adversary tactics framework.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive system resources, configuration files, and administrative functions. Once elevated, an attacker could manipulate security policies, access protected data, or establish persistence mechanisms within the compromised system. The vulnerability affects enterprise environments where these Trend Micro solutions are deployed, potentially exposing organizations to significant security risks. The on-premises nature of the affected versions means that organizations must consider their internal network security posture and the potential for insider threats or compromised endpoints.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment for the affected Trend Micro versions, along with implementing network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Organizations should also conduct privilege reviews to ensure that the minimum necessary privileges are granted to system components. The implementation of monitoring solutions to detect unusual privilege escalation events and regular security assessments can help identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing the principle of least privilege for all system services and user accounts, reducing the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future. This vulnerability underscores the importance of proper privilege management and the need for continuous security assessments of enterprise security solutions.