title: exacqVision Enterprise System Manager (ESM) privilege escalation
description: A vulnerability in the exacqVision Enterprise System Manager (ESM) v5.12.2 application whereby unauthorized privilege escalation can potentially be achieved. This vulnerability impacts exacqVision ESM v5.12.2 and all prior versions of ESM running on a Windows operating system. This issue does not impact any Windows Server OSs, or Linux deployments with permissions that are not inherited from the root directory. Authorized Users have ‘modify’ permission to the ESM folders, which allows a low privilege account to modify files located in these directories. An executable can be renamed and replaced by a malicious file that could connect back to a bad actor providing system level privileges. A low privileged user is not able to restart the service, but a restart of the system would trigger the execution of the malicious file. This issue affects: Exacq Technologies, Inc. exacqVision Enterprise System Manager (ESM) Version 5.12.2 and prior versions; This issue does not affect: Exacq Technologies, Inc. exacqVision Enterprise System Manager (ESM) 19.03 and above.
problem types: The exacqVision Enterprise System Manager (ESM) privilege escalation vulnerability is possible due to insecure file permission in the Windows operating system.
affected:
{
product: exacqVision Enterprise System Manager (ESM)
vendor: Exacq Technologies, Inc.
versions:
lessThanOrEqual: 5.12.2, status: affected, version: 1.x, versionType: custom
lessThanOrEqual: 5.12.2, status: affected, version: 2.x, versionType: custom
lessThanOrEqual: 5.12.2, status: affected, version: 3.x, versionType: custom
lessThanOrEqual: 5.12.2, status: affected, version: 4.x, versionType: custom
lessThanOrEqual: 5.12.2, status: affected, version: 5.x, versionType: custom
lessThan: 19.03*, status: unaffected, version: 19.03, versionType: custom
}
metrics:
cvssV3_0: [
attackComplexity: HIGH
attackVector: LOCAL
availabilityImpact: HIGH
baseScore: 6.7
baseSeverity: MEDIUM
confidentialityImpact: HIGH
integrityImpact: HIGH
privilegesRequired: LOW
scope: UNCHANGED
userInteraction: REQUIRED
vectorString: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
version: 3.0
]
exploits: Replace system level executable with malicious file; trigger system restart.
solutions: KB mitigation ( https://exacq.com/kb?crc=31399 ) or Upgrade to version 19.03 or beyond.
workarounds: (Windows 10)
Change file permissions for install location of exacqVision ESM.
In the Properties of the installation folder Security tab > Advanced
Select Disable inheritance
Select Convert
Select ‘Authorized Users’ or ‘Users’ that have ‘Special’ or ‘Modify’ access and remove.