Description
Windows NT searches a user's home directory (%systemroot% by default) before other directories to find critical programs such as NDDEAGNT.EXE, EXPLORER.EXE, USERINIT.EXE or TASKMGR.EXE, which could allow local users to bypass access restrictions or gain privileges by placing a Trojan horse program into the root directory, which is writable by default.
References
- 515 vdb-entry
- 19990628 NT runs Explorer.exe, Taskmgr.exe etc. from wrong location mailing-list
- 19990630 Update: NT runs explorer.exe, etc... mailing-list
- nt-login-default-folder(2336) vdb-entry