CVE-2025-2810 in ICMHelper
Summary
by MITRE • 08/05/2025
A low privileged local attacker can abuse the affected service by using a hardcoded cryptographic key.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in cryptographic implementation where a hardcoded key is embedded within the affected service. The presence of such a key creates a fundamental weakness that allows attackers with low privilege local access to exploit the system's security mechanisms. The hardcoded nature of the key means it remains static throughout the service lifecycle, providing attackers with persistent access to cryptographic operations without requiring additional authentication or privilege escalation. This type of vulnerability directly violates security best practices and is classified under CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms or improper key management. The attack vector specifically targets local privilege escalation scenarios where an attacker can leverage the hardcoded key to perform unauthorized cryptographic operations, potentially leading to data encryption, decryption, or authentication bypass.
The technical implementation flaw stems from poor security design practices where developers embedded cryptographic keys directly into the service code or configuration files rather than implementing proper key management systems. This approach eliminates the dynamic generation or secure retrieval of cryptographic keys, making the entire system vulnerable to attackers who can access the service's binary or configuration files. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data access, as the hardcoded key could enable attackers to decrypt sensitive information, forge authentication tokens, or manipulate cryptographic signatures. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1552.004, which covers "Credentials In Files" and T1078.002, which addresses "Valid Accounts: Local Accounts," as attackers can leverage the hardcoded key to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The low privilege requirement for exploitation indicates that even users with minimal system permissions can trigger this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, as it provides attackers with a persistent backdoor mechanism that can be exploited repeatedly without detection. Once the hardcoded key is discovered, attackers can maintain access to the system's cryptographic functions indefinitely, potentially allowing them to compromise other services that rely on the same key infrastructure. This vulnerability also affects the system's overall integrity and confidentiality, as the hardcoded key may be used across multiple services or applications, creating a cascading security risk. Organizations may face compliance violations under regulations such as pci dss, hipaa, and gdpr, which require proper key management and cryptographic security controls. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to data breaches, unauthorized system modifications, and potential lateral movement within networks where the same hardcoded key is used across multiple systems. Recovery from such an attack typically requires complete service reinstallation with properly managed cryptographic keys and thorough security audits to identify any other systems that may have been compromised through the use of the hardcoded key.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate remediation through key rotation and secure key management implementation. Organizations must conduct comprehensive audits of all services to identify hardcoded keys and replace them with secure key management solutions such as hardware security modules or cloud key management services. The implementation of proper key lifecycle management, including generation, storage, distribution, and destruction, is essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future deployments. Regular security testing and code reviews should be implemented to identify potential hardcoded cryptographic elements before they can be exploited. Additionally, system monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual cryptographic activity that might indicate unauthorized access to the hardcoded key. The organization should also implement principle of least privilege access controls and ensure that cryptographic keys are stored in secure, isolated environments separate from the services that utilize them. These measures align with security standards such as nist sp 800-57 for key management and iso/iec 27001 for information security management.