CVE-2023-50702 in SSCWindowsService
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2024
Sikka SSCWindowsService 5 2023-09-14 executes a program as LocalSystem but allows full control by low-privileged users (and low-privileged users have write access to %PROGRAMDATA%\SSCService). Consequently, low-privileged users can execute arbitrary code as LocalSystem.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-50702 resides within the Sikka SSCWindowsService version 5, presenting a critical privilege escalation flaw that fundamentally undermines system security boundaries. This service operates with elevated LocalSystem privileges while simultaneously exposing critical system directories to low-privileged user access, creating a dangerous attack surface that directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and access control. The service's design flaw enables any user with minimal system permissions to gain complete control over the system through a straightforward exploitation vector.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the service's improper handling of directory permissions and privilege separation mechanisms. Specifically, the service grants full control permissions to the %PROGRAMDATA%\SSCService directory path, which allows low-privileged users to write malicious executables or modify existing service components. This misconfiguration creates a path for privilege escalation where users can replace legitimate service binaries with malicious payloads that will execute with LocalSystem privileges. The flaw directly corresponds to CWE-276, which addresses incorrect permissions for critical resources, and CWE-732, which deals with incorrect permissions for critical system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it effectively provides any local user with complete system compromise capabilities. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the highest system privileges, potentially leading to complete system takeover, data exfiltration, persistence mechanisms, and lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability's exploitation is particularly concerning because it requires no special privileges or advanced techniques, making it accessible to virtually any user with basic system access. This flaw significantly increases the attack surface for organizations and can be exploited as part of broader attack chains in multi-stage compromises.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate permission remediation and privilege control measures. Organizations must immediately restrict write permissions to the %PROGRAMDATA%\SSCService directory, ensuring that only authorized system accounts can modify service components. The service should be configured to run with minimal required privileges rather than full LocalSystem access, implementing proper privilege separation principles. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that service installations do not grant unnecessary permissions to user accounts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1068 for escalation of privileges and T1543 for service execution, highlighting the need for monitoring and detection of unauthorized service modifications. System administrators should implement monitoring for suspicious file modifications in critical service directories and consider deploying application control solutions to prevent unauthorized executable installations.