Microsoft Windows up to Server 2019 LNK privileges management

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Microsoft Windows. This affects an unknown function of the component LNK Handler. Performing a manipulation results in privileges management. This vulnerability was named CVE-2020-0729. The attack may be initiated remotely. There is no available exploit. To fix this issue, it is recommended to deploy a patch.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows (Operating System). It has been classified as critical. This affects some unknown processing of the component LNK Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a privileges management vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-269. The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows that could allow remote code execution if a .LNK file is processed.An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user, aka 'LNK Remote Code Execution Vulnerability'.

The weakness was presented 02/11/2020 as confirmed security update guide (Website). It is possible to read the advisory at portal.msrc.microsoft.com. The public release was coordinated in cooperation with Microsoft. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2020-0729. The exploitability is told to be difficult. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. No form of authentication is needed for exploitation. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 02/11/2020). The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1068 according to MITRE ATT&CK. The advisory points out:

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows that could allow remote code execution if a .LNK file is processed.

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

See VDB-149887, VDB-149886, VDB-149884 and VDB-149881 for similar entries. Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Microsoft

Name

• Windows

Version

• 7 SP1
• 8.1
• 10
• 10 1607
• 10 1709
• 10 1803
• 10 1809
• 10 1903
• 10 1909
• RT 8.1
• Server 1803
• Server 1903
• Server 1909
• Server 2008 R2 SP1
• Server 2008 SP2
• Server 2012
• Server 2016
• Server 2019

License

• commercial

Website

• Vendor: https://www.microsoft.com/
• Product: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows

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