CVE-2024-11467 in Horizon Client
Summary
by MITRE • 02/05/2025
Omnissa Horizon Client for macOS contains a Local privilege escalation (LPE) Vulnerability due to a logic flaw. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with user privileges to escalate their privileges to root on the system where the Horizon Client for macOS is installed.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-11467 represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw within Omnissa Horizon Client for macOS systems. This issue stems from a logic flaw that exists within the client application's privilege handling mechanisms, creating an exploitable condition that allows unprivileged user accounts to gain root-level access to affected systems. The vulnerability specifically impacts macOS environments where the Omnissa Horizon Client is installed, making it a targeted concern for organizations utilizing this virtual desktop infrastructure solution.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation and handling of privilege elevation requests within the client application. When a user interacts with certain components of the Horizon Client, the application fails to properly verify the privilege levels of the requesting process, creating a logic flaw that can be manipulated to bypass normal access controls. This flaw typically manifests through improper privilege checking routines, insufficient input validation, or flawed permission management within the application's core components. The vulnerability is classified as a local privilege escalation because it requires an existing user account on the system but does not need network access or remote exploitation capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for affected organizations. Successful exploitation allows attackers to gain complete root access to systems running the vulnerable Omnissa Horizon Client, providing them with unrestricted control over all system resources, files, and processes. This elevated privilege level enables attackers to install malicious software, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely deployed virtual desktop client solution, meaning that organizations with multiple users accessing virtual desktop environments could face widespread compromise. Security teams must consider that this vulnerability could be exploited in targeted attacks against specific users or in broader campaigns targeting organizations using Omnissa solutions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying available patches from Omnissa, restricting user access to the Horizon Client application where possible, and implementing monitoring for suspicious privilege escalation activities. System administrators should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all affected systems and establish network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control issues, and could be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation. Additional defensive measures include implementing application whitelisting policies, monitoring for unauthorized privilege elevation attempts, and conducting regular security audits of client applications. Organizations should also consider deploying endpoint detection and response solutions to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain detailed logging of privilege-related system events.