CVE-2023-47201 in Apex One
Summary
by MITRE • 01/24/2024
A plug-in manager origin validation vulnerability in the Trend Micro Apex One security agent could allow a local attacker to escalate privileges on affected installations.
Please note: an attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.
This vulnerability is similar to, but not identical to, CVE-2023-47200.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-47201 represents a critical origin validation flaw within the plug-in manager component of Trend Micro Apex One security agent software. This security weakness specifically affects the validation mechanisms that govern how the system verifies the authenticity and origin of plug-in modules. The vulnerability exists in the way the security agent handles trust verification for dynamically loaded components, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the system's plugin loading process. The flaw is particularly concerning because it directly impacts the core security architecture of the Apex One agent, which serves as a critical endpoint protection mechanism across enterprise environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of plugin origins within the agent's runtime environment. When the security agent processes plugin modules, it fails to adequately verify the source authenticity and integrity of these components before execution. This weakness allows an attacker who has already gained low-privileged access to the system to craft malicious plugin files that can bypass the normal validation checks. The vulnerability manifests as a failure to properly implement cryptographic verification or digital signature validation mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized plugin execution. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-284: Improper Access Control, specifically manifesting as inadequate validation of plugin origins within a security agent framework.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-47201 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially compromise entire endpoint security infrastructures. Once exploited, an attacker can elevate privileges to the highest levels permitted by the security agent's operational context, effectively bypassing the very protection mechanisms designed to prevent such attacks. This vulnerability creates a dangerous escalation path where initial foothold obtained through other means can be leveraged to gain full control over the system. The attack vector requires a pre-existing low-privileged code execution capability, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation. The vulnerability's similarity to CVE-2023-47200 suggests a broader architectural weakness in the plugin management system that may affect other related components.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. Organizations should prioritize applying the vendor-provided patches and updates as soon as they become available, as these typically include enhanced origin validation mechanisms and strengthened cryptographic checks. System administrators should implement additional monitoring for suspicious plugin loading activities and establish baseline behaviors for legitimate plugin execution. The principle of least privilege should be enforced more rigorously, limiting the ability of low-privileged users to manipulate system components that could be leveraged for privilege escalation. Security teams should also consider implementing behavioral analysis tools that can detect anomalous plugin loading patterns and correlate them with other suspicious activities. Network segmentation and endpoint detection and response solutions can provide additional layers of defense to prevent exploitation attempts from succeeding. Regular security assessments of plugin management systems should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other security agent components.