CVE-2022-22960 is a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability found in VMware Workspace ONE Access, Identity Manager, and vRealize Automation. This vulnerability allows a malicious actor with local access to escalate privileges to 'root' due to improper permissions in support scripts. With a CVSS score of 7.8, it poses a significant threat to affected systems.
The vulnerability was published on April 13, 2022, and has been categorized under CWE-732, indicating improper permissions. Organizations utilizing these VMware products should be aware of the serious implications of this vulnerability, especially in environments where sensitive operations are conducted.
Risk to organizations includes unauthorized access and potential system compromise if this vulnerability is exploited. The urgency for defenders is high, as the risk of exploitation escalates with time. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.
Currently, there are known exploits for this vulnerability, and it has been included in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, emphasizing the importance of immediate remediation.
Vulnerability Details
According to the official CVE description, this vulnerability allows a malicious actor with local access to escalate privileges to 'root'. It affects VMware Workspace ONE Access, Identity Manager, and vRealize Automation. The CVSS score is 7.8, indicating a high severity level due to its potential impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The attack vector is local, and it has low attack complexity, requiring low privileges to exploit. User interaction is not required, which increases the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability at high levels.
The vulnerability was disclosed on April 13, 2022, and is characterized by improper permissions within support scripts.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper permissions assigned to support scripts within the affected VMware products. This misconfiguration allows local users to execute these scripts with elevated privileges, leading to a potential escalation to 'root'.
The attack vector is local, meaning the attacker must have access to the machine where the vulnerability exists. The attack complexity is low, and the privileges required to exploit the vulnerability are also low, making it accessible to a broader range of attackers. No user interaction is needed, which further simplifies the exploitation process.
The impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability are classified as high, reinforcing the need for organizations to take immediate action.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations should understand the real-world deployment risk associated with this vulnerability. The ability for an attacker to escalate privileges to 'root' can have severe consequences, including total control over the affected systems.
The potential blast radius is extensive, affecting all systems running the vulnerable products, and the urgency assessment is high given its inclusion in the KEV catalog. Organizations must take swift action to mitigate risks.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | Yes |
Public PoC | Yes |
Actively Exploited | Yes |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected versions include VMware Cloud Foundation (3.0 to <5.0), VMware Identity Manager (3.3.3 to 3.3.6), VMware vRealize Automation (7.6), VMware vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager (8.0 to <9.0), and various versions of VMware Workspace ONE Access (20.10.0.0 to 21.08.0.1).
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should apply updates per vendor instructions to remediate this vulnerability. Ensure the systems are upgraded to the latest patched versions to prevent exploitation. If patches are not available, consider implementing configuration hardening and monitoring for suspicious activities.
For ongoing security, organizations may consider engaging in penetration testing to identify any other vulnerabilities in their environment.
Detection Guidance
Monitor system logs for indicators of unauthorized access and privilege escalation attempts. Look for unusual script executions and changes to permissions in support scripts. Implement behavioral anomaly detection to identify potential exploitation attempts.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
This vulnerability highlights the significance of maintaining strict permission controls in software deployments. Organizations should learn from this incident and regularly audit their systems for misconfigurations that could lead to privilege escalation.
For further insights on vulnerability management, organizations can refer to our best practices on vulnerability management programs. Additionally, our guidance on penetration testing methodologies can provide valuable strategies for securing environments.
Lastly, understanding the importance of application security assessments is crucial in a comprehensive security strategy.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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