CVE-2021-44204 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

CVE-2021-44204 pertains to a local privilege escalation vulnerability via named pipe due to improper access control checks found in various Acronis products.

Understanding CVE-2021-44204

What is CVE-2021-44204?

CVE-2021-44204 involves a security flaw that allows local users to escalate their privileges by exploiting a named pipe due to inadequate access control verification.

The Impact of CVE-2021-44204

This vulnerability could be exploited by an authenticated user to gain elevated privileges on the affected systems, potentially leading to unauthorized access and manipulation of sensitive data.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-44204

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability enables a local user to escalate their privileges by using a named pipe, which occurs due to insufficient access control validations within the affected Acronis products.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following Acronis products and versions are affected by CVE-2021-44204:

Acronis Cyber Protect 15 (Windows) before build 28035
Acronis Agent (Windows) before build 27147
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office (Windows) before build 39612
Acronis True Image 2021 (Windows) before build 39287

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited locally through a named pipe by leveraging the lack of proper access control checks, allowing unauthorized users to elevate their privileges on the affected systems.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the affected Acronis products to the specified build versions to mitigate the vulnerability.
Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict user permissions and reduce the impact of potential privilege escalation attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit access control mechanisms to ensure proper validation and enforcement of user permissions.
Conduct security awareness training for users to recognize and report suspicious activities that may indicate privilege escalation attempts.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Acronis to address the vulnerability and enhance the security posture of the affected products.