CVE-2024-48292 in Antivirus Pro
Summary
by MITRE • 11/18/2024
An issue in the wssrvc.exe service of QuickHeal Antivirus Pro Version v24.0 and Quick Heal Total Security v24.0 allows authenticated attackers to escalate privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-48292 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the wssrvc.exe service component of QuickHeal Antivirus Pro Version 24.0 and Quick Heal Total Security v24.0. This issue affects the core security architecture of these antivirus solutions by allowing authenticated attackers to elevate their privileges from standard user level to system administrator level. The vulnerability exists within the Windows service implementation that manages various security functions, creating an attack vector that could potentially compromise entire system operations.
The technical flaw manifests through improper access control mechanisms within the wssrvc.exe service which fails to properly validate the privileges of incoming requests. This service typically operates with elevated privileges to perform system-level security functions but does not adequately verify the authenticity or privilege level of users attempting to interact with its interfaces. The vulnerability stems from a lack of proper input validation and privilege checking, allowing authenticated users to exploit service communication protocols to gain unauthorized elevated access. This flaw directly aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control and CWE-782 which covers exposed service functions that should not be accessible to unprivileged users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with complete system control capabilities. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges, modify critical system files, install malware, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. The attack requires only authenticated access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by users who have legitimate access to the machine but lack administrative privileges. This creates a significant risk for environments where multiple users share systems or where legitimate users might be compromised through social engineering attacks.
Security professionals should immediately implement mitigation strategies including patching the affected software versions to the latest releases where this vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should also consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring for unusual service interactions that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper service privilege separation and the need for comprehensive security testing of service components. Network segmentation and user access controls should be reviewed to minimize potential impact if exploitation occurs. This vulnerability also highlights the need for regular security assessments of security software itself, as these tools often run with elevated privileges and can become prime targets for attackers seeking system compromise. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique, specifically targeting service manipulation and access control bypass methods that allow attackers to gain higher-level system permissions.