Description
KioWare Server version 4.9.6 and older installs by default to "C:\kioware_com" with weak folder permissions granting any user full permission "Everyone: (F)" to the contents of the directory and it's sub-folders. In addition, the program installs a service called "KWSService" which runs as "Localsystem", this will allow any user to escalate privileges to "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" by substituting the service's binary with a malicious one.
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- KioWare Server Version 4.9.6 - Weak Folder Permissions Privilege Escalation EDB-46093 · local · Jan 7, 2019
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/151031/KioWare-Server-4.9.6-Privilege-Escalation.html
- 46093 exploit
- https://m.kioware.com/news/kioware-press-releases/kioware_server_security_patch_update
- https://www.kioware.com/patch.aspx
- https://github.com/active-labs/Advisories/blob/master/2019/ACTIVE-2019-002.md