Security Bulletin - Application and Change Control update fixes one vulnerability (CVE-2021-31833)
Security Bulletins ID:
SB10370
Last Modified: 2023-01-13 05:51:47 Etc/GMT
Last Modified: 2023-01-13 05:51:47 Etc/GMT
Summary
First Published: December 30, 2021
Article contents:
CVE-2021-31833:
To exploit this, the attacker would need to copy files around the target machine and rename them. They would then need to follow some specific steps to run the renamed files.
CVE-2023-0221:
This was addressed in the same release and mistakenly omitted from the security bulletin when first released.
This is a lower severity issue and customers who applied 8.3.4 or later are protected. Theutilman.exe process could have been used to circumvent the protection provided by ACC.
Remediation
To remediate this issue, go to the Product Downloads site, and download the applicable product update file:
Download and Installation Instructions
For instructions to download product updates and hotfixes, see KB56057 - How to download Enterprise product updates and documentation.
Review the Release Notes and the Installation Guide for instructions on how to install these updates. All documentation is available at our Product Documentation site.
Workaround
We strongly recommend installing the updated version of ACC.
If you're unable to update, you can change the configuration through ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) to mitigate this issue.
WARNING: This might lead to denial of execution to Microsoft and our signed binaries if they're not whitelisted.
Acknowledgements
Trellix credits the Lockheed Martin Red Team for responsibly reporting these vulnerabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I know if my product is vulnerable or not?
For Endpoint products:
Follow the instructions below for Endpoint or client-based products:
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is the result of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council's effort to standardize a system of assessing the criticality of a vulnerability. This system offers an unbiased criticality score between 0 and 10 that customers can use to determine how critical a vulnerability is and plan accordingly. For more information, visit the CVSS website.
When calculating CVSS scores, we've adopted a philosophy that fosters consistency and repeatability. Our guiding principle for CVSS scoring is to score the exploit under consideration by itself. We consider only the immediate and direct impact of the exploit under consideration. We don't factor into a score any potential follow-on exploits that might be made possible by the successful exploitation of the issue being scored.
What are the CVSS scoring metrics?
CVE-2021-31833
NOTE: This CVSS version 3.1 vector was used to generate this score.
Resources
Disclaimer
The information provided in this Security Bulletin is provided as is without warranty of any kind. We disclaim all warranties, either express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall we or our suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits, or special damages, even if we or our suppliers have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some states don't allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, so the preceding limitation may not apply.
Any future product release dates mentioned in this Security Bulletin are intended to outline our general product direction, and they shouldn't be relied on in making a purchasing decision. The product release dates are for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. The product release dates aren't a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remain at our sole discretion and may be changed or canceled at any time.
| Product | Impacted Versions | CVE ID | Impact of Vulnerabilities | Severity Ratings | CVSS v3.1 Base / Temporal Scores |
| Application and Change Control (ACC) | Prior to 8.3.4 | CVE-2021-31833 | CWE-269 – Improper Privilege Management | High | 7.1 / 6.4 |
| ACC | Prior to 8.3.4 | CVE-2023-0221 | CWE-269 – Improper Privilege Management | Medium | 4.4 / 4.0 |
| Recommendations | Install or update to ACC 8.3.4 | ||||
| Security Bulletin Replacement | None | ||||
| Location of updated software | Product Downloads site | ||||
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Article contents:
- Vulnerability Description
- Remediation
- Workaround
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Resources
- Disclaimer
CVE-2021-31833:
To exploit this, the attacker would need to copy files around the target machine and rename them. They would then need to follow some specific steps to run the renamed files.
CVE-2023-0221:
This was addressed in the same release and mistakenly omitted from the security bulletin when first released.
This is a lower severity issue and customers who applied 8.3.4 or later are protected. The
- CVE-2021-31833
Potential product security bypass vulnerability in ACC prior to version 8.3.4 allows a locally logged-in attacker to circumvent the application solidification protection provided by ACC, permitting them to run applications that would usually be prevented by ACC. This would require the attacker to rename the specified binary to match the name of any configured updater and perform a specific set of steps, resulting in the renamed binary to be to run.
MITRE CVE-2021-31833
NIST CVE-2021-31833
- CVE-2023-0221
Product security bypass vulnerability in ACC prior to version 8.3.4 allows a locally logged-in attacker with administrator privileges to bypass the execution controls provided by ACC using the utilman program.
MITRE CVE-2023-0221
Remediation
To remediate this issue, go to the Product Downloads site, and download the applicable product update file:
| Product | Version | Type | Release Date |
| ACC | 8.3.4 | Update | December 28, 2021 |
Download and Installation Instructions
For instructions to download product updates and hotfixes, see KB56057 - How to download Enterprise product updates and documentation.
Review the Release Notes and the Installation Guide for instructions on how to install these updates. All documentation is available at our Product Documentation site.
Workaround
We strongly recommend installing the updated version of ACC.
If you're unable to update, you can change the configuration through ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) to mitigate this issue.
WARNING: This might lead to denial of execution to Microsoft and our signed binaries if they're not whitelisted.
- Log on to the ePO console.
- Navigate to Policy Catalog, Solidcore, Configuration (Client), McAfee Default (Read Only).
- Duplicate the McAfee Default (Read Only) policy.
- Open the copy that you just created.
- Navigate to Certificate configuration.
- Change the value of Enable VTP trust check to 0 (from 1).
- Save the policy.
- Apply the policy to endpoints.
Acknowledgements
Trellix credits the Lockheed Martin Red Team for responsibly reporting these vulnerabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I know if my product is vulnerable or not?
For Endpoint products:
Follow the instructions below for Endpoint or client-based products:
- Right-click the tray shield icon on the Windows taskbar.
- Select Open Console.
- In the console, select Action Menu.
- In the Action Menu, select Product Details. The product version displays.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is the result of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council's effort to standardize a system of assessing the criticality of a vulnerability. This system offers an unbiased criticality score between 0 and 10 that customers can use to determine how critical a vulnerability is and plan accordingly. For more information, visit the CVSS website.
When calculating CVSS scores, we've adopted a philosophy that fosters consistency and repeatability. Our guiding principle for CVSS scoring is to score the exploit under consideration by itself. We consider only the immediate and direct impact of the exploit under consideration. We don't factor into a score any potential follow-on exploits that might be made possible by the successful exploitation of the issue being scored.
What are the CVSS scoring metrics?
CVE-2021-31833
| Base Score | 7.1 |
| Attack Vector (AV) | Local (L) |
| Attack Complexity (AC) | Low (L) |
| Privileges Required (PR) | Low (L) |
| User Interaction (UI) | None (N) |
| Scope (S) | Unchanged (U) |
| Confidentiality (C) | None (N) |
| Integrity (I) | High (H) |
| Availability (A) | High (H) |
| Temporal Score (Overall) | 6.4 |
| Exploitability (E) | Proof-of-Concept (P) |
| Remediation Level (RL) | Official Fix (O) |
| Report Confidence (RC) | Confirmed (C) |
NOTE: This CVSS version 3.1 vector was used to generate this score.
CVE-2023-0221: Product bypass of ACC utilizing
| Base Score | 4.4 |
| Attack Vector (AV) | Local (L) |
| Attack Complexity (AC) | Low (L) |
| Privileges Required (PR) | High (H) |
| User Interaction (UI) | None (N) |
| Scope (S) | Unchanged (U) |
| Confidentiality (C) | None (N) |
| Integrity (I) | None (N) |
| Availability (A) | High (H) |
| Temporal Score (Overall) | 4.0 |
| Exploitability (E) | Proof-of-Concept (P) |
| Remediation Level (RL) | Official Fix (O) |
| Report Confidence (RC) | Confirmed (C) |
NOTE: The CVSS version 3.1 vector was used to generate this score:
Where can I find a list of all Security Bulletins?
All Security Bulletins are published on our Knowledge Center. Security Bulletins are retired (removed) once a product is both End of Sale and End of Support (End of Life).
How do I report a product vulnerability to you?
If you have information about a security issue or vulnerability with a product, follow the instructions provided in KB95563 - Report a vulnerability.
How do you respond to this and any other reported security flaws?
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To view our PSIRT policy, see KB95564 - About PSIRT.
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Disclaimer
The information provided in this Security Bulletin is provided as is without warranty of any kind. We disclaim all warranties, either express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall we or our suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits, or special damages, even if we or our suppliers have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some states don't allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, so the preceding limitation may not apply.
Any future product release dates mentioned in this Security Bulletin are intended to outline our general product direction, and they shouldn't be relied on in making a purchasing decision. The product release dates are for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. The product release dates aren't a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remain at our sole discretion and may be changed or canceled at any time.
