#VU52994 Insecure DLL loading in ExifTool - CVE-2018-20211

Vulnerability identifier: #VU52994

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 4 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2018-20211

CWE-ID: CWE-427

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
ExifTool
Universal components / Libraries / Libraries used by multiple products

Vendor: ExifTool

Description

The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.

The vulnerability exists due to the application loads DLL libraries in an insecure manner. A local user can create a "%TEMP%\par-%username%\cache-exiftool-8.32" folder with a victim's username, and then place a malicious ws32_32.dll file into this new folder. the library is loaded with privileges of the victim user once the application is launched.

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

ExifTool: 8.32

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External links
https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/150892/Exiftool-8.3.2.0-DLL-Hijacking.html
https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Dec/44

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.