CVE-2022-44744 in Cyber Protect Home Office
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2022
Local privilege escalation due to DLL hijacking vulnerability. The following products are affected: Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office (Windows) before build 40107.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-44744 represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw affecting Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office versions prior to build 40107 on Windows platforms. This issue stems from improper handling of dynamic link library loading mechanisms within the software installation and execution processes. The vulnerability creates a path for malicious actors to elevate their privileges from standard user level to administrative rights, potentially compromising the entire system. The flaw specifically manifests during the software's initialization phase when it attempts to load required dynamic libraries without proper validation of the library search order.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-427 Uncontrolled Search Path Element and CWE-428 Unquoted Search Path, where the application fails to properly specify library paths or relies on insecure default search mechanisms. When Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office executes, it searches for required DLL files in a predictable order that includes the current working directory and other insecure locations. An attacker can place a maliciously crafted DLL file in one of these directories with the same name as a legitimate library, causing the system to load the attacker-controlled code instead of the legitimate component. This behavior violates the principle of least privilege and creates an exploitable condition that allows arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to gain administrative access to systems running vulnerable versions of Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office. Once elevated, an attacker can modify system files, install additional malware, access sensitive data, and potentially establish persistence within the compromised environment. The vulnerability affects the Windows operating system environment where Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is installed, potentially impacting home users and small business environments that rely on this backup and security solution. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it requires no special privileges to exploit, making it accessible to any user with local access to the affected system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-44744 should prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by Acronis. Organizations should implement the latest build 40107 or subsequent versions that address the DLL hijacking vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as enforcing strict library search paths, using application whitelisting solutions, and monitoring for suspicious DLL loading activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper library loading mechanisms, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 for Local Privilege Escalation and T1546 for Event Triggered Execution. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to unexpected DLL loads in system directories and implement regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar insecure library loading patterns in other software components.