CVE-2022-24460 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 03/09/2022
Tablet Windows User Interface Application Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2022
This vulnerability resides within the tablet windows user interface application component that governs the touch-based interactive environment on windows devices. The flaw represents a privilege escalation issue that allows an attacker to elevate their execution context from a standard user account to system level privileges. The vulnerability specifically affects the way the application handles user interface elements and their associated permissions during tablet mode operations. The technical implementation involves improper access control mechanisms that fail to properly validate user permissions when processing touch events and UI interactions. This weakness enables malicious actors to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted touch sequences or UI element manipulation, ultimately gaining unauthorized system-level access. The vulnerability impacts devices running windows operating systems in tablet mode, where the user interface application operates with elevated privileges to handle touch input and display management functions.
The core technical flaw manifests in the application's failure to properly enforce security boundaries between user mode and kernel mode operations. When a user interacts with touch-sensitive UI elements, the system should validate that the requesting process has appropriate permissions before executing privileged operations. However, the vulnerability allows attackers to bypass these validation checks by exploiting how the application processes touch events that transition between different privilege levels. This flaw specifically relates to improper handling of UI element state changes and their associated security contexts. The vulnerability can be triggered through legitimate touch interactions that are crafted to exploit the privilege escalation mechanism. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in privilege management where insufficient access control validation leads to unauthorized privilege escalation. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes the exploitation of legitimate credentials and system access to escalate privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable full system compromise and persistent access to affected devices. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where tablet devices may be used for sensitive operations or contain confidential data. The exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond normal touch-based device usage, making it difficult to detect through traditional security monitoring. This vulnerability affects not only individual users but also organizations that deploy tablet devices as part of their operational infrastructure, potentially creating widespread security implications across multiple endpoints. The risk is amplified because the vulnerability exists within core system components that are essential for normal device operation, making it difficult to isolate or patch without significant system disruption.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment through microsoft's security updates, which address the underlying access control validation issues. Organizations should implement additional security controls such as enabling secure boot and code integrity verification to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Network segmentation and monitoring of touch-based input events can help detect anomalous behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized code within the affected application context. Regular security assessments should include testing for proper privilege enforcement in touch-based UI components, particularly in tablet mode configurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining security boundaries even in seemingly benign user interface components, as these elements often operate with elevated privileges to provide responsive interactive experiences. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure they can effectively respond to privilege escalation events that may involve touch-based attack vectors, as these attack methods may not be immediately recognizable through traditional security monitoring approaches.