CVE-2020-1984 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Secdo: Privilege escalation via hardcoded script path

Understanding CVE-2020-1984

The CVE-2020-1984 vulnerability in Secdo for Windows allows a local authenticated user to gain system privileges by executing a script at a hardcoded path under specific conditions.

What is CVE-2020-1984?

Secdo attempts to execute a script at a fixed path, enabling local authenticated users to escalate privileges.

The Impact of CVE-2020-1984

CVSS Score: 7.8 (High)
Attack Vector: Local
Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability Impact: High
Privileges Required: Low

Technical Details of CVE-2020-1984

The following technical aspects of the vulnerability provide deeper insights into its nature.

Vulnerability Description

Secdo for Windows executes a script at a hardcoded path, allowing system privileges to a local authenticated user under specific conditions.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Platforms: Windows
Affected Product: Secdo
Vulnerable Versions: All versions

Exploitation Mechanism

A local authenticated user with 'create folders or append data' access to the root of the OS disk can exploit the vulnerability to gain system privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

To secure systems and prevent unauthorized privilege escalation, the following steps can be taken:

Immediate Steps to Take

Ensure unprivileged users do not have 'create folder' access on the root of the filesystem like C:\
Create a folder named C:\Common and restrict unprivileged users from creating folders within.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and adjust user access permissions to limit privilege escalation opportunities.
Implement principle of least privilege to restrict unnecessary permissions.

Patching and Updates

Given that the product is no longer supported, mitigation lies in enforcing access controls to prevent unauthorized folder creation.