CVE-2024-24977 in License Manager for FLEXlm Product Software
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2024
Uncontrolled search path for some Intel(R) License Manager for FLEXlm product software before version 11.19.5.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-24977 affects Intel(R) License Manager for FLEXlm product software versions prior to 11.19.5.0, representing a critical security flaw that could enable authenticated users with local access to escalate privileges. This issue stems from an uncontrolled search path within the software's licensing management system, creating a potential attack vector for privilege escalation. The vulnerability specifically impacts systems where the license manager is installed and configured, particularly in enterprise environments where licensing software often runs with elevated privileges to manage software entitlements across multiple workstations. The flaw allows a local attacker who has already gained authentication access to the system to manipulate the software's search path and potentially execute malicious code with higher privileges than originally granted.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the license manager software failing to properly validate or control the paths it searches when resolving license files or related components. This uncontrolled search path behavior can be exploited when the software attempts to locate necessary licensing files, configuration data, or supporting libraries. Attackers can leverage this weakness by placing malicious files in directories that are searched before legitimate system paths, effectively causing the software to execute unauthorized code. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only local authentication access, meaning an attacker who has already compromised user credentials or gained physical access to the system can potentially leverage this flaw to escalate their privileges. This behavior aligns with CWE-427 Uncontrolled Search Path, which describes the dangerous practice of allowing applications to search directories in an uncontrolled manner, potentially leading to privilege escalation or code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can potentially allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive licensing information, manipulate software entitlements, or even establish persistent access to systems. Organizations using Intel's FLEXlm license manager software are particularly at risk, as these systems often manage critical software licensing across enterprise networks and may run with elevated privileges to ensure proper license enforcement. The vulnerability can be exploited in various scenarios including insider threats, compromised user accounts, or systems with weak local security controls. In environments where the license manager software runs with administrative privileges, successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous from a security operations perspective.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-24977 should focus on immediate software updates to version 11.19.5.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the uncontrolled search path issue. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as restricting local access to systems running the license manager, implementing least privilege principles for the software's execution, and monitoring for suspicious file modifications in directories searched by the application. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while security monitoring should include detection of unusual file access patterns or privilege escalation events. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper application hardening practices and adherence to security best practices such as those outlined in the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, particularly those involving legitimate program execution and trusted path exploitation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potential search path vulnerabilities in similar software components across the enterprise environment.