Microsoft resolved 56 security vulnerabilities for February Patch Tuesday — which includes 11 critical and 6 publicly acknowledged. And, it continued to handle the Zerologon bug.
Microsoft has tackled nine critical-severity cybersecurity bugs in February’s Patch Tuesday updates, furthermore an significant-rated vulnerability that is currently being actively exploited in the wild.
Six of the security holes – including one particular of the critical bugs – had been now publicly disclosed.
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Total, the computing large has released patches for 56 CVEs covering Microsoft Windows factors, the .NET Framework, Azure IoT, Azure Kubernetes Company, Microsoft Edge for Android, Exchange Server, Office and Office Services and Web Apps, Skype for Enterprise and Lync, and Windows Defender.
Actively Exploited Security Bug in Windows Kernel
The security bug tracked as CVE-2021-1732 is being actively exploited, in accordance to Microsoft’s advisory. It carries a vulnerability-severity score of 7.8 on the CVSS scale, building it vital in severity – on the other hand, researchers explained it justifies attention above some of the critical bugs in terms of patching priority.
It exists in the Windows Acquire32k operating program kernel and is an elevation-of-privilege (EoP) vulnerability. It would let a logged-on user to execute code of their selecting with larger privileges, by working a specifically crafted application. If effective, attackers could execute code in the context of the kernel and attain Technique privileges, in essence giving the attacker free of charge rein to do whatever they required on the compromised equipment.
“The vulnerability influences Windows 10 and corresponding server editions of the Windows OS,” said Chris Goettl, senior director of product or service management and security at Ivanti. “This is a key illustration of why risk-primarily based prioritization is so vital. If you base your prioritization off of vendor severity and target on ‘critical’ you could have missed this vulnerability in your prioritization. This vulnerability should really set Windows 10 and Server 2016 and afterwards editions into your priority bucket for remediation this thirty day period.”
Critical Microsoft Bugs for February Patch Tuesday
None of the critical bugs price more than an 8.8 (out of 10) on the CVSS scale, but all permit for distant code execution (RCE) and lots of really should choose major priority, in accordance to security scientists.
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Publicly Recognised .NET Main/Visual Studio Bug
For instance, the bug tracked as CVE-2021-26701 exists in .NET Main and Visual Studio – it is the only critical-rated bug to be outlined as publicly acknowledged.
“Without additional details from Microsoft, which is about all we know about it,” stated Dustin Childs, of Development Micro’s Zero Day Initiative, in an analysis released Tuesday. “Based on the CVSS severity scale, this could enable distant, unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on an impacted system. Irrespective, if you rely on the .NET Framework or .NET Core, make certain you test and deploy this one particular immediately.”
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Windows Fax Bugs
Other critical bugs should really be on researchers’ radars. The bugs tracked as CVE-2021-1722 and CVE-2021-24077 meanwhile are equally Windows Fax Services RCE challenges.
“Windows Fax Services specifies options for faxes, together with how they are sent, acquired, viewed and printed,” reported Eric Feldman, senior product internet marketing supervisor at Automox. “The Windows Fax Service is utilised by the Windows Fax and Scan application bundled in all versions of Microsoft Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 and some previously versions.”
An attacker who properly exploited possibly vulnerability could choose control of an impacted technique, and then be equipped to install programs watch, change or delete data or build new accounts with total person rights.
“Users whose accounts are configured to have less user rights on the system could be significantly less impacted than users who function with administrative person legal rights,” Feldman reported. “Even if you do not use Windows Fax and Scan, the Windows Fax Providers is enabled by default.”
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Critical TCP/IP Bugs
CVE-2021-24074 and CVE-2021-24094 are equally Windows TCP/IP RCE vulnerabilities. The previous is found in the way Windows handles iPv4 resource routing the latter is discovered in the way Windows handles iPv6 packet reassembly.
“IPv4 resource routing…should be disabled by default,” explained Childs. “You can also block resource routing at firewalls or other perimeter gadgets. The IPv6 bug involves packet fragmentation the place a massive quantity of fragments could direct to code execution.”
Scientists stated that both equally these patches should really be prioritized.
“Because these influence the network stack, need zero interaction from a user and can be exploited by sending malicious network targeted traffic to a system, it’s only a make a difference of time in advance of we see attackers leveraging these vulnerabilities to have out cyberattacks,” Chris Hass, director of information and facts security and investigate at Automox, reported.
Kevin Breen, director of cyber menace study at Immersive Labs, reported that the IPv6 security gap is an obvious concentrate on for hackers.
“CVE-2021-24094 would be an obvious focus on because it influences a network stack, which generally operates with method stage permissions and could for that reason attain an attacker a program shell,” he said. “As an IPV6 Connection community attack it would demand the threat actor to presently have a foothold in your network, but could in the long run guide to a large amount of obtain on domain controllers, for instance. This vulnerability would be most unsafe to those people who operate a flat network. Segmentation will enable with mitigation.”
Breen also pointed out that RCE is not the only possible consequence of an exploit for this bug.
“The launch notes suggest that the exploit is ‘complex’ – which indicates tried attacks may serve to induce units to crash, providing it the prospective to be used in a denial-of-support attack,” he reported.
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Flaw in Windows Codec Pack
Windows Camera Codec Pack is dwelling to yet a further critical RCE bug (CVE-2021-24091). If efficiently exploited, an attacker could operate arbitrary code in the context of the recent consumer.
“If the existing person is logged on with admin privileges, the attacker could acquire handle of the impacted technique,” stated Justin Knapp, senior merchandise advertising and marketing supervisor at Automox. “This could empower an attacker to set up courses view, alter, or delete knowledge or produce new accounts with comprehensive person legal rights. Exploitation of the vulnerability needs the user to open up a specially crafted file with an impacted edition of the codec pack. While there is no way to power a person to open up the file, undesirable actors could manipulate a user through an email or web-centered attack vector exactly where the person is efficiently persuaded or enticed into opening the malicious file.”
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Windows DNS Issues
And Windows Domain Identify Process (DNS) servers, when they fail to adequately take care of requests, are also open up to a critical RCE bug (CVE-2021-24078) that could permit an attacker to operate arbitrary code in the context of the Community System Account.
“Only Windows servers that are configured as DNS servers are at risk of owning this vulnerability exploited,” Knapp mentioned. “To exploit the vulnerability, an unauthenticated attacker could mail destructive requests to the Windows DNS server. Specified the reduced stage of attack complexity and ‘exploitation more likely’ label assigned, this is a vulnerability that must be addressed quickly.”
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Windows Print Spooler
Also of observe, CVE-2021-24088 impacts the Windows Area Spooler, which is an critical ingredient inside the Windows running technique that outlets print positions in memory until eventually the printer is completely ready to acknowledge them.
It’s a bug that “could be a huge concern,” in accordance to Allan Liska, senior security architect at Recorded Foreseeable future.
“This vulnerability impacts Windows 7 to 10 and Windows Server 2008 to 2019,” he said. “Windows Print Spooler vulnerabilities have been greatly exploited in the wild going back to the times of Stuxnet. Just previous yr CVE-2020-0986 was witnessed by Kaspersky currently being greatly exploited in the wild.”
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Other Critical February 2021 Microsoft Bugs
And last but not least, .NET Core for Linux is also at risk for RCE (CVE-2021-24112) and CVE-2021-24093 is a critical RCE vulnerability in the Windows graphic component. Particulars are scant for both equally, but of the latter, Breen reported, “This is the kind of vulnerability crafted into exploit kits and activated by low amount phishing strategies concentrating on buyers en masse.”
And, a critical bug that would allow RCE exists in the Microsoft Windows Codecs Library (CVE-2021-24081). Particulars are sparse, but Microsoft mentioned that the problems required for exploitation is regarded as to be low. Nonetheless, end-consumer conversation is needed for productive exploitation.
Publicly Disclosed Bugs of Take note
Outside the house of the critical issues, CVE-2021-1733 is a superior-severity EoP vulnerability found out to be impacting Sysinternals PsExec utility that deserves a glance. It is mentioned as getting publicly disclosed.
“PsExec which has been well-liked in the earlier for use in remote administration jobs these as patching remote techniques, has also had a good share of scrutiny owing the utility’s weaponization by criminals in malware,” Nicholas Colyer, senior item marketing supervisor at Automox, reported by way of email. “Proof-of-strategy code has not been independently confirmed but it is notable that in January 2021, Microsoft introduced a patch to resolve a distant code-execution vulnerability for the identical utility, indicating that it is finding focus. Sturdy endpoint management is needed for any organization’s continued results and it is highly recommended to look at choices in the present day period of software package-as-a-services.”
The other publicly claimed vulnerabilities this month are CVE-2021-1727, an EoP vulnerability in Windows Installer CVE-2021-24098, a DoS vulnerability in the Windows Console Driver CVE-2021-24106, an data-disclosure vulnerability in Windows DirectX and CVE-2021-1721, a .NET Main and Visual Studio DoS dilemma.
Zerologon Redux
Microsoft also yet again introduced the patch for the Netlogon vulnerability (CVE-2020-1472), which originally was solved in August. The vulnerability has regularly been exploited by risk actors, so the re-launch serves to emphasize its great importance. Microsoft also starting off Tuesday commenced blocking by default any vulnerable connections on products that could be utilised to exploit the flaw. It does this by enabling domain controller “enforcement manner.”
“When you take into account that Zerologon led the U.S. government to issue an Unexpected emergency Directive to all federal businesses to immediately utilize the patches for this vulnerability, you commence to understand the gravity of the condition,” Satnam Narang, staff investigate engineer at Tenable, told Threatpost. “Zerologon provides attackers a reputable way to move laterally as soon as inside a network, offering them the means to impersonate methods, alter passwords, and acquire handle over the proverbial keys to the kingdom via the domain controller by itself.”
He added, “For these motives, Zerologon has been rolled into attacker playbooks, becoming a feather in the cap for submit-compromise activity. We have also noticed reviews of Zerologon getting favored by ransomware groups like Ryuk during their campaigns.”
What Really should IT Patch First?
“Windows OS updates and Adobe Acrobat and Reader want instant interest with the checklist of exploited and publicly disclosed vulnerabilities,” stated Goettl.
Right after that, enhancement instruments and IT resources “need some notice,” he additional.
“.Net Main and PsExec disclosures are a issue that should really not go unaddressed. For the reason that this development and IT tools do not abide by the exact update process as OS and application updates, it is critical to assessment your DevOps procedures and establish if you are able to detect and respond to updates for prevalent dev factors,” he reported. “For resources like PsExec it is essential to comprehend your application stock and where by these resources are put in and make certain you can distribute up to date variations as necessary.”
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Some pieces of this post are sourced from:
threatpost.com