AppXSvc 17763 - Arbitrary File Overwrite (DoS)

EDB-ID:

47768


Type:

dos


Platform:

Windows

Date:

2019-12-11


# Exploit Title: AppXSvc 17763 - Arbitrary File Overwrite (DoS)
# Date: 2019-10-28
# Exploit Author: Gabor Seljan
# Vendor Homepage: https://www.microsoft.com/
# Version: 17763.1.amd64fre.rs5_release.180914-1434
# Tested on: Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
# CVE: CVE-2019-1476

# Summary:
# AppXSvc improperly handles file hard links resulting in a low privileged user
# being able to overwrite an arbitrary file leading to elevation of privilege.

# Description:

# An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the AppX Deployment Server
# (AppXSvc) improperly handles file hard links. While researching CVE-2019-0841
# originally reported by Nabeel Ahmed, I have found that AppXSvc can be forced
# to overwrite an arbitrary file by deleting all registry data files before
# creating the file hard link. As Nabeel Ahmed described in his write-up of
# CVE-2019-0841, if the settings.dat file is corrupted it will be replaced with
# the original settings.dat template. However, additional settings.dat.LOG1 and
# settings.dat.LOG2 files are also created during the initialization process.
# Substituting the settings.dat.LOG1 or the settings.dat.LOG2 file with a hard
# link allows a low privileged user to overwrite an arbitrary file with registry
# data or just simply empty it, respectively. A low privileged user could exploit
# this vulnerability to cause denial of service by overwriting critical system
# files.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Terminate Paint 3D processes.
2. Delete settings.* files in Microsoft.MSPaint_8wekyb3d8bbwe\Settings folder.
3. Create a hard link from settings.dat.LOG1 to C:\Windows\win.ini.
4. Execute the start ms-paint: command to run Paint 3D.
5. Terminate Paint 3D processes.

Expected result:
It isn't possible to overwrite a file not writable by a low privileged user.

Observed result:
C:\Windows\win.ini file is overwritten with registry data.

References:
https://github.com/sgabe/CVE-2019-1476
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-1476
https://krbtgt.pw/dacl-permissions-overwrite-privilege-escalation-cve-2019-0841