CVE-2023-39249 in SupportAssist Client Consumer
Summary
by MITRE • 02/14/2024
Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs version 3.4.0 contains a local Authentication Bypass vulnerability that allows locally authenticated non-admin users to gain temporary privilege within the SupportAssist User Interface on their respective PC. The Run as Admin temporary privilege feature enables IT/System Administrators to perform driver scans and Dell-recommended driver installations without requiring them to log out of the local non-admin user session. However, the granted privilege is limited solely to the SupportAssist User Interface and automatically expires after 15 minutes.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-39249 represents a significant local authentication bypass flaw within Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs version 3.4.0. This issue stems from improper privilege management within the software's user interface design, creating an unintended pathway for locally authenticated users to escalate their privileges temporarily. The vulnerability specifically affects systems where non-administrative users can leverage the existing Run as Admin functionality to gain elevated access within the SupportAssist environment, despite not possessing legitimate administrative credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in the privilege escalation mechanism that governs how the SupportAssist User Interface handles temporary administrative privileges. The system grants temporary administrative rights to users who have authenticated locally but do not possess standard administrative privileges. This temporary privilege is intended to allow IT administrators to perform driver scans and installations without requiring full logout and re-login procedures, but the implementation fails to properly validate or restrict the scope of these elevated privileges. The vulnerability manifests when a non-admin user attempts to utilize the support assistance features that should normally require administrative authentication, yet the software incorrectly grants access based on the presence of the Run as Admin feature.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a moderate to high risk to organizations relying on Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs. The temporary privilege escalation capability, while limited to the SupportAssist User Interface, could potentially be exploited by malicious actors or insider threats to perform unauthorized system modifications, driver installations, or access sensitive system information. The 15-minute expiration period does not sufficiently mitigate the risk, as it provides ample time for attackers to execute malicious payloads, gather system information, or establish persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability affects the core security model of the software by undermining the principle of least privilege, where users should only have access to resources necessary for their specific roles.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper privilege validation and access control mechanisms. System administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary features such as the Run as Admin functionality if it is not required for business operations. Additionally, monitoring for unusual activity within the SupportAssist User Interface and implementing network segmentation can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and represents a specific implementation of the privilege escalation category within the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify systems running the affected version and ensure proper patch management protocols are in place to prevent exploitation of this authentication bypass vulnerability.