CVE-2024-2003 in NOD32 Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE • 06/21/2024
Local privilege escalation vulnerability allowed an attacker to misuse ESET's file operations during a restore operation from quarantine.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-2003 represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw within ESET security software that specifically manifests during file restore operations from quarantine. This issue arises from improper handling of file operations within the ESET endpoint protection suite, creating a pathway for malicious actors to elevate their privileges from standard user level to administrative access on affected systems. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages the legitimate restore functionality of the security software to execute malicious code with elevated privileges, exploiting the trust relationship between the security application and the operating system.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and privilege management during the file restoration process from quarantine. When ESET processes a restore operation, the software fails to properly validate file paths or implement appropriate access controls, allowing an attacker to manipulate the restore procedure to execute arbitrary code with higher privileges. This flaw typically involves improper handling of file permissions, directory traversal vulnerabilities, or insufficient sandboxing during the restore process. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls, and may also relate to CWE-78, concerning OS command injection, if the restore operation involves shell command execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-2003 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a persistent foothold within compromised systems. Once elevated to administrative privileges, attackers can install additional malware, modify system files, disable security controls, or establish backdoors for long-term access. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where ESET is deployed across multiple endpoints, as a successful exploitation could lead to widespread compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through social engineering campaigns targeting users who might trigger restore operations, or by directly exploiting the vulnerability on systems where the attacker already has some level of access. This attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation, and potentially T1566, involving social engineering to gain initial access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-2003 should include immediate patching of affected ESET software versions, as vendors typically release security updates to address such vulnerabilities. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring for suspicious restore operations, particularly those involving system-critical files or directories. Network segmentation and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation. Organizations should consider implementing application control policies that restrict unauthorized file operations and monitor for unusual file access patterns during restore operations. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities within the security software stack. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in security applications, as these tools often operate with elevated privileges and must therefore maintain strict input validation and privilege separation to prevent exploitation.