wazuh: Improper Access Control
CVE-2024-35177 is a high-severity improper access control vulnerability in wazuh, 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 wazuh versions: >= 3.0.0, < 4.9.0. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.26% 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 wazuh you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
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 (github.com).
Official description
Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. It is capable of protecting workloads across on-premises, virtualized, containerized, and cloud-based environments. The wazuh-agent for Windows is vulnerable to a Local Privilege Escalation vulnerability due to improper ACL of the non-default installation directory. A local malicious user could potentially exploit this vulnerability by placing one of the many DLL that are loaded and not present on the system in the installation folder of the agent OR by replacing the service executable binary itself with a malicious one. The root cause is an improper ACL applied on the installation folder when a non-default installation path is specified (e.g,: C:\wazuh). Many DLLs are loaded from the installation folder and by creating a malicious DLLs that exports the functions of a legit one (and that is not found on the system where the agent is installed, such as rsync.dll) it is possible to escalate privileges from a low-privileged user and obtain code execution under the context of NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. This issue has been addressed in version 4.9.0 and all users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Access Control
The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
- Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
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
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in wazuh
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
Recent Improper Access Control vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
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