Deep Freeze Server Standard: Unquoted Search Path or Element
CVE-2024-1618 is a high-severity unquoted search path or element vulnerability in Deep Freeze Server Standard from Faronics, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected Deep Freeze Server Standard versions: 8.30.020.4627 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.24% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Deep Freeze Server Standard you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faronics | Deep Freeze Server Standard | 8.30.020.4627 and earlier | Not stated |
| Faronics | deep_freeze | 8.30.020.4627 and earlier | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (incibe.es).
Official description
A search path or unquoted item vulnerability in Faronics Deep Freeze Server Standard, which affects versions 8.30.020.4627 and earlier. This vulnerability affects the DFServ.exe file. An attacker with local user privileges could exploit this vulnerability to replace the legitimate DFServ.exe service executable with a malicious file of the same name and located in a directory that has a higher priority than the legitimate directory. Thus, when the service starts, it will run the malicious file instead of the legitimate executable, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code, gain unauthorized access to the compromised system or stop the service from running.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Unquoted Search Path or Element
The product uses a search path that contains an unquoted element, in which the element contains whitespace or other separators. This can cause the product to access resources in a parent path.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Properly quote the full search path before executing a program on the system.
- Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
More Unquoted Search Path or Element vulnerabilities (CWE-428)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Recent Unquoted Search Path or Element vulnerabilities
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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