CVE-2020-13912 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

SolarWinds Advanced Monitoring Agent before 10.8.9 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse .exe file.

Understanding CVE-2020-13912

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in SolarWinds Advanced Monitoring Agent that can be exploited by local users to elevate their privileges.

What is CVE-2020-13912?

The vulnerability in SolarWinds Advanced Monitoring Agent before version 10.8.9 enables local users to escalate their privileges by utilizing a malicious .exe file.

The Impact of CVE-2020-13912

The security flaw allows unauthorized local users to gain elevated privileges on the affected system, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-13912

SolarWinds Advanced Monitoring Agent before version 10.8.9 is susceptible to privilege escalation through a specific .exe file.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the ability of any user to write to a particular .exe file, enabling the execution of malicious code for privilege escalation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: SolarWinds Advanced Monitoring Agent
Versions Affected: All versions before 10.8.9

Exploitation Mechanism

Local users can exploit the vulnerability by introducing a Trojan horse .exe file, taking advantage of the permissive write permissions on the specific .exe file.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-13912, immediate actions and long-term security practices are crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Restrict access to critical system files and directories.
Implement the principle of least privilege to limit user permissions.
Regularly monitor and audit file write permissions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security training for users on identifying and avoiding malicious files.
Keep systems and software updated to prevent known vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Update SolarWinds Advanced Monitoring Agent to version 10.8.9 or newer to mitigate the privilege escalation vulnerability.