CVE-2021-42319 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A Visual Studio Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability was identified affecting multiple versions of Microsoft Visual Studio.

Understanding CVE-2021-42319

What is CVE-2021-42319?

The CVE-2021-42319 is an Elevation of Privilege vulnerability found in Microsoft Visual Studio, potentially allowing attackers to elevate their privileges.

The Impact of CVE-2021-42319

This vulnerability has a base score of 4.7 (Medium) according to the CVSS v3.1 system. It could be exploited by attackers to gain elevated privileges, impacting the confidentiality and availability of affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-42319

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows an attacker to gain elevated privileges within the Visual Studio application.

Affected Systems and Versions

Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 version 15.9 (includes 15.0 - 15.8)
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7 (includes 16.0 – 16.6)
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.9 (includes 16.0 - 16.8)
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.11 (includes 16.0 - 16.10)

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an authenticated user to gain higher privileges than intended.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should apply the necessary security updates provided by Microsoft.
Limit user permissions to minimize the impact of a potential exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Visual Studio to ensure the latest security patches are applied.
Employ the principle of least privilege to restrict users' access rights.
Perform security testing and audits to uncover and address potential vulnerabilities in the environment.

Patching and Updates

It is crucial to apply the latest updates and patches released by Microsoft to address this vulnerability.