CVE-2016-9486
The SecureConnector agent runs various plugin scripts and executables on the endpoint in order to gather and report information about the host to the CounterACT management appliance.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (1.23%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
On Windows endpoints, the SecureConnector agent must run under the local SYSTEM account or another administrator account in order to enable full functionality of the agent. The typical configuration is for the agent to run as a Windows service under the local SYSTEM account. The SecureConnector agent runs various plugin scripts and executables on the endpoint in order to gather and report information about the host to the CounterACT management appliance. The SecureConnector agent downloads these scripts and executables as needed from the CounterACT management appliance and runs them on the endpoint. By default, these executable files are downloaded to and run from the %TEMP% directory of the currently logged on user, despite the fact that the SecureConnector agent is running as SYSTEM. Aside from the downloaded scripts, the SecureConnector agent runs a batch file with SYSTEM privileges from the temp directory of the currently logged on user. If the naming convention of this script can be derived, which is made possible by placing it in a directory to which the user has read access, it may be possible overwrite the legitimate batch file with a malicious one before SecureConnector executes it. It is possible to change this directory by setting the the configuration property config.script_run_folder.value in the local.properties configuration file on the CounterACT management appliance, however the batch file which is run does not follow this property.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 1.23% probability · 67th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-379, CWE-264
- Affected
- forescout/secureconnector
- Source
- cret@cert.org
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94740Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/768331Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94740Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/768331Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.