CVE-2022-21128 in Advisor
Summary
by MITRE • 05/12/2022
Insufficient control flow management in the Intel(R) Advisor software before version 7.6.0.37 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-21128 resides within Intel(R) Advisor software version 7.6.0.37 and earlier, representing a critical flaw in control flow management that could potentially be exploited by authenticated users with local access to escalate privileges. This issue manifests as insufficient oversight of program execution paths, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate the software's normal operational flow and gain elevated system permissions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation and management of control flow within the Intel Advisor application's code execution environment. Control flow management deficiencies typically occur when software fails to properly validate execution paths or when it does not adequately restrict how program execution can proceed. This particular flaw falls under CWE-252, which addresses insufficient control flow management, and represents a significant weakness in the software's security architecture. The vulnerability allows for potential privilege escalation because the application does not properly enforce access controls or validate execution contexts during critical operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to systems running affected Intel Advisor software versions. An authenticated local user who can access the system with valid credentials could exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining administrative access to the host system. The attack vector requires local access and authentication, making it less immediately dangerous than remote exploits but still highly concerning for environments where local system access is not properly restricted. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it could enable attackers to manipulate performance analysis data, potentially leading to more sophisticated attacks or data manipulation.
The security implications of CVE-2022-21128 align with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," and T1548.001, which addresses "Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism." Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their overall security posture assessment, particularly in environments where Intel Advisor is deployed for performance analysis and optimization activities. The vulnerability affects systems where Intel Advisor is installed and running, potentially compromising the integrity of performance data and system security.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate software updates to Intel Advisor version 7.6.0.37 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the control flow management deficiencies. System administrators should also implement strict access controls and monitoring for systems running Intel Advisor, particularly focusing on local user authentication and privilege management. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected software and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent similar issues from occurring in other software components. The remediation approach should align with industry best practices for privilege management and control flow validation as outlined in security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards.