CVE-2019-18670 : What You Need to Know

A vulnerability in Acer Quick Access allows a regular user to load an unsigned DLL into a signed service process, running under the NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM account.

Understanding CVE-2019-18670

This CVE involves a DLL Hijacking vulnerability in Acer Quick Access.

What is CVE-2019-18670?

The vulnerability in the Quick Access Service (QAAdminAgent.exe) in Acer Quick Access versions 2.01.3000 through 2.01.3027 and 3.00.3000 through 3.00.3008 allows a regular user to load any unsigned DLL into the process of the signed service. This vulnerability is categorized as DLL Hijacking and involves search order hijacking.

The Impact of CVE-2019-18670

The vulnerability poses a security risk as it allows unauthorized users to inject malicious code into a privileged process, potentially leading to system compromise.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-18670

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from an uncontrolled search path element for nvapi.dll, atiadlxx.dll, or atiadlxy.dll, enabling DLL Hijacking.

Affected Systems and Versions

Acer Quick Access versions 2.01.3000 through 2.01.3027
Acer Quick Access versions 3.00.3000 through 3.00.3008

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows a regular user to load an arbitrary unsigned DLL into the process of the signed service, which runs under the NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM account.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from this vulnerability requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable or uninstall Acer Quick Access if not essential for system operation.
Implement application whitelisting to control which programs can run on the system.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activity related to DLL loading.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to address known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security training for users to recognize and report suspicious activities.

Patching and Updates

Check for security updates from Acer and apply patches promptly to mitigate the vulnerability.