CVE-2022-0237 in Insight Agent
Summary
by MITRE • 03/18/2022
Rapid7 Insight Agent versions 3.1.2.38 and earlier suffer from a privilege escalation vulnerability, whereby an attacker can hijack the flow of execution due to an unquoted argument to the runas.exe command used by the ir_agent.exe component, resulting in elevated rights and persistent access to the machine. This issue was fixed in Rapid7 Insight Agent version 3.1.3.80.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-0237 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Rapid7 Insight Agent software versions 3.1.2.38 and earlier. This security weakness stems from improper handling of command-line arguments in the execution flow of the ir_agent.exe component, specifically when invoking the runas.exe utility. The vulnerability creates a dangerous condition where an attacker can manipulate the execution path through unquoted argument manipulation, allowing for arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges. The flaw exists because the software does not properly sanitize or validate the command-line parameters passed to the runas.exe utility, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject their own executables into the process flow. This issue falls under the CWE-78 weakness category, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation."
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the Windows command-line parsing behavior where unquoted paths containing spaces are interpreted by the system as multiple arguments, allowing attackers to place malicious executables in predictable locations that will be executed with elevated privileges. When the ir_agent.exe component executes runas.exe with an unquoted argument, the system interprets the path incorrectly, potentially allowing an attacker to place a malicious binary in a directory that gets executed before the legitimate program. This creates a persistent backdoor access mechanism that can be maintained across system reboots and provides attackers with continuous elevated access to the compromised machine. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it enables long-term persistence within the target environment, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise security.
The operational implications of CVE-2022-0237 are severe for organizations relying on Rapid7 Insight Agent for security monitoring and management. Once exploited, attackers can maintain persistent access to systems while remaining undetected, potentially leading to data exfiltration, lateral movement within the network, and establishment of additional footholds. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the security monitoring solution itself, as it allows attackers to compromise the very tool designed to detect and prevent malicious activities. Organizations with multiple systems running affected versions of the Insight Agent face significant risk, as the vulnerability can be exploited across their entire infrastructure. The fix implemented in version 3.1.3.80 addresses the root cause by properly quoting command-line arguments and ensuring that the execution flow cannot be hijacked through path manipulation. Security teams should prioritize immediate patching of all affected systems and monitor for potential exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability demonstrates a clear path to persistent access that aligns with ATT&CK tactic T1078 for Valid Accounts and technique T1547 for Registry Run Keys. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and command-line argument handling in security-sensitive applications, particularly those operating with elevated privileges.