CVE-2026-80112 in BurnInTest
Summary
by MITRE • 09/04/2026
PassMark PerformanceTest before 11.1 build 1012, BurnInTest before 11.1 build 1000, and OSForensics before 11.1 build 1016 contain an improper access control vulnerability in the DirectIo64.sys kernel driver that allows unprivileged local users to perform privileged hardware operations by opening a handle to the device object created without a security descriptor. Attackers can issue IOCTLs through the permissive default Windows ACL applied to the device to access restricted hardware operations regardless of privilege or integrity level.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2026
The vulnerability identified in PassMark PerformanceTest, BurnInTest, and OSForensics represents a critical failure in operating system security boundaries due to improper access control within kernel-mode drivers. Specifically, the DirectIo64.sys driver, which is bundled with these software suites prior to versions 11.1 build 1012 for PassMark PerformanceTest and OSForensics, and version 11.1 build 1000 for BurnInTest, fails to enforce restrictive security descriptors on the device objects it creates. In Windows kernel architecture, when a driver creates a device object without explicitly defining a Security Descriptor (SD), the operating system applies a default Access Control List that grants broad access permissions. This design flaw effectively bypasses standard privilege checks, allowing any local user account, regardless of its integrity level or administrative status, to interact with hardware components at a kernel-level authority.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability stems from the driver's failure to initialize the device object with an appropriate SECURITY_DESCRIPTOR structure during creation. Normally, drivers must explicitly set access rights using functions such as IoCreateDeviceSecure or by manually assigning a Security Descriptor via SeSetSecurityDescriptorInfo. By omitting these steps, the DirectIo64.sys driver leaves the device handle open to unprivileged processes. Attackers can exploit this by opening a file handle to the device object and subsequently issuing Input/Output Control (IOCTL) requests. These IOCTLs are processed directly within kernel space, granting the caller access to restricted hardware operations that should be reserved for system administrators or trusted applications with high integrity levels. This mechanism effectively elevates privileges from a standard user context to SYSTEM-level execution without requiring any authentication or privilege escalation exploits beyond simple API calls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it undermines the fundamental isolation principles of modern operating systems. An attacker leveraging this flaw can perform sensitive hardware operations that typically require administrative rights, such as reading or writing directly to physical memory, accessing low-level device registers, or manipulating system configurations at a level invisible to standard security monitoring tools. This capability facilitates unauthorized data exfiltration, persistence mechanisms through rootkit-like techniques, and potential denial of service by destabilizing kernel structures. Furthermore, because the exploitation relies on basic file handle operations rather than complex buffer overflow exploits, it is highly reliable and difficult for endpoint detection systems to distinguish from legitimate administrative activity unless specific behavioral heuristics are in place.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-250, which describes execution with unnecessary privileges, as well as CWE-732, concerning improper permission assignment for critical resources. In the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this flaw enables techniques associated with Privilege Escalation and Defense Evasion, specifically allowing attackers to bypass access control mechanisms (T1068) and potentially establish persistence through kernel-level drivers (T1543). The lack of security descriptors on device objects is a common misconfiguration in third-party driver development that has historically led to significant security breaches.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must ensure that all instances of PassMark PerformanceTest, BurnInTest, and OSForensics are updated to versions 11.1 build 1012 or later for the former two products, and version 11.1 build 1016 or later for OSForensics. These updates include patches that correctly implement security descriptors on the DirectIo64.sys device objects, thereby restricting access to only authorized users with appropriate privileges. Additionally, system administrators should enforce strict driver signing policies using Windows Driver Signature Enforcement (DSE) and monitor for unusual IOCTL activity directed at kernel drivers associated with benchmarking or forensic tools. Regular auditing of installed software versions is essential to prevent exploitation in environments where local user accounts may have elevated access potential.