[NT] Local Privileges Elevation via Symantec LiveUpdate

From: SecuriTeam (support_at_securiteam.com)
Date: 12/16/04

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Date: 16 Dec 2004 14:05:27 +0200

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      Local Privileges Elevation via Symantec LiveUpdate
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    SUMMARY

    Symantec Automatic LiveUpdate, a functionality included with many Symantec
    retail products as well as on Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds Corp v3.0,
    is launched by the system scheduler on system startup and then
    periodically after startup. Symantec LiveUpdate can automatically check
    for available updates to any supported Symantec products installed on the
    system using a scheduled task call NetDetect.

    Vulnerable versions of the Symantec Automatic LiveUpdate are initially
    launched at startup and were being assigned Local System privileges.
    During the period when an interactive LiveUpdate session is available, and
    only during this session, a non-privileged user could potentially
    manipulate portions of the LiveUpdate GUI Internet options configuration
    functionality to gain elevated privilege on the local host. For example,
    the non-privileged user could gain privileges to search and edit all
    system files, assume full permission for directories and files on the
    host, or create new user accounts on the local system.

    DETAILS

    Affected Components
     * Symantec Windows LiveUpdate prior to v2.5
     * Symantec Norton SystemWorks 2001-2004
     * Symantec Norton AntiVirus and Pro 2001-2004
     * Symantec Norton Internet Security and Pro 2001-2004
     * Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds Retail and Corporate Edition v3.0

    Not Affected
     * Symantec Windows LiveUpdate v2.5
     * Symantec Java LiveUpdate (all versions)
     * Symantec Enterprise products (Symantec Enterprise products do not
    support the Automatic LiveUpdate functionality with the exception of
    Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds Corporate Edition v3.0)

    Additional Information:
    If exploited effectively this issue would permit a non-privileged user to
    gain privileged access on the local host. Symantec has produced a list of
    mitigating circumstances that reduce the risk of exploitation in the
    Automatic
    LiveUpdate feature.

    Symantec Automatic LiveUpdate is only implemented in retail versions of
    Symantec products with the exception of Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds
    Corporate Edition v3.0. This version uses Symantec Automatic LiveUpdate to
    check for essential updates when connected to the network.

    The system is vulnerable only when the interactive LiveUpdate capability
    is activated and configured with the option to notify the user when
    updates are available. Single user systems are not a the same risk factor
    as multi-user systems in shared environments. Shared computers in
    university or office type environments with restricted or non-privileged
    user access are at high risk.

    Symantec Response
    Symantec engineers had already identified this issue in supported versions
    of Symantec Windows LiveUpdate and were in the process of addressing it
    when Secure Network Operations analysts contacted us with their
    verification of the issue. Symantec addressed this issue in Symantec
    Windows LiveUpdate v2.5, which if customers have been keeping their
    systems updated should have already been installed on affected Symantec
    products. The latest version of Symantec Windows LiveUpdate is also
    available for download from the Symantec technical support site at
    <http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/files/lu/lu.html>
    http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/files/lu/lu.html.

    Determining your version of Symantec LiveUpdate:
    1. Open any Symantec retail product installed on your system, e.g.,
    Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2004
    2. Click on LiveUpdate in the toolbar
    3. Click on the LiveUpdate system menu to see the drop-down selections
    4. Click on "About LiveUpdate" to see the version of LiveUpdate you are
    running

    If you are running a version of Symantec Windows LiveUpdate earlier than
    version 2.5, you should either run LiveUpdate to get the latest updates
    for products on your system, or download the latest release of Symantec
    Windows LiveUpdate from the location provided above.

    Mitigating Circumstances
    While effectively exploiting this issue would permit a non-privileged user
    to gain privileged access on the local host, there are mitigating
    circumstances that greatly reduce the risk of exploitation in Symantec's
    Automatic LiveUpdate:

     * Symantec Automatic LiveUpdate is only implemented in retail versions of
    Symantec products with the exception of Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds
    Corporate Edition v3.0, which uses Symantec Automatic LiveUpdate to check
    for essential updates when connected to the network.

     * The system is vulnerable only if the interactive LiveUpdate capability
    is implemented on the system

      o Automatic LiveUpdate must be configured with the option enabled to
    notify the user when updates are available
      o If the system is a single-user system, this would not be an issue
      o If the system IS configured as a multi-user system with privileged and
    non-privileged user access to the host system, the non-privileged user
    would require an authorized user account on the host system and must be
    logged on interactively to exploit this issue

     * Elevated privileges can be gained only on the local system, which
    normally limits any impact

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    The information has been provided by <mailto:advisory@secnetops.com>
    Secure Network Operations, Inc..
    The original article can be found at:
    <http://www.secnetops.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=48> http://www.secnetops.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=48

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