CVE-2023-3160 in NOD32 Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2023
The vulnerability potentially allows an attacker to misuse ESET’s file operations during the module update to delete or move files without having proper permissions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-3160 resides within ESET's module update mechanism, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw that undermines the security posture of endpoint protection solutions. This weakness specifically manifests during the execution of file operations associated with module updates, where the system fails to properly validate or enforce permission controls. The flaw enables malicious actors to exploit the update process to manipulate filesystem objects without possessing the necessary authorization levels, creating a significant vector for unauthorized system modification.
This technical vulnerability operates through a privilege validation bypass mechanism that occurs during legitimate software update procedures. The flaw stems from insufficient access control enforcement within ESET's update framework, allowing attackers to leverage the update process as a means to execute unauthorized file operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the file deletion and movement capabilities during module updates, where proper permission checks are either absent or inadequately implemented. This weakness creates an operational pathway where attackers can manipulate the software's behavior to perform actions that should normally be restricted to privileged users or system processes.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-3160 extends beyond simple unauthorized file manipulation, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for further system compromise. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could delete critical system files, move essential components to prevent proper software functionality, or replace legitimate files with malicious counterparts. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where ESET protection is deployed across multiple endpoints, as successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise or disruption of security monitoring capabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a classic example of how update mechanisms can become attack vectors when proper security controls are not implemented.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for execution and T1070 for indicator removal, as attackers could use the compromised update mechanism to delete security-related files or modify system behavior. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that update processes typically run with elevated privileges, making this flaw especially dangerous. Organizations using ESET products face heightened risk of persistent threats that could leverage this vulnerability to maintain access while evading detection mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates how legitimate software update processes can be subverted to enable malicious activities, aligning with ATT&CK's T1566 framework for social engineering through software supply chain attacks.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment from ESET, combined with monitoring for unauthorized file operations during update processes. Network segmentation and privileged access controls should be reinforced to limit potential exploitation impact. Security teams should implement file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized modifications to critical system components. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their endpoint protection configurations to identify similar weaknesses in other security software components. The remediation process must include verification that update mechanisms properly enforce access controls and that all file operations during module updates are subject to appropriate permission validation checks.