Overview
The vulnerability identified with CVE-2024-11857 is a critical flaw found in the Bluetooth HCI Adaptor produced by Realtek. It exposes systems to a Link Following vulnerability, which local threat actors could capitalize on to potentially manipulate files and escalate privileges. Given the widespread use of Realtek’s Bluetooth HCI Adaptor, this vulnerability could be exploited against a broad spectrum of targets, affecting individual users and corporate networks alike. The severity of this vulnerability underscores the necessity of immediate action to mitigate potential damage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2024-11857
Severity: High (7.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: User
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Arbitrary file deletion, potential system compromise, and data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Realtek Bluetooth HCI Adaptor | All Versions
How the Exploit Works
An attacker with regular user privileges can exploit this vulnerability by creating a symbolic link with the same name as a specific file in the system. This causes the system to delete arbitrary files pointed to by the link. Following this, the attacker can leverage the arbitrary file deletion to escalate their privileges within the system, potentially leading to system compromise or leakage of sensitive data.
Conceptual Example Code
Consider the following conceptual command-line interface (CLI) example, which demonstrates how an attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability:
# Attacker creates a symbolic link to a critical system file
ln -s /etc/passwd ./vulnerable_file
# When the system interacts with the 'vulnerable_file', it's in fact interacting with the /etc/passwd file
rm ./vulnerable_fileIn this example, the attacker has created a symbolic link to a critical system file (‘/etc/passwd’). When the system attempts to delete the ‘vulnerable_file’, it will actually delete the ‘/etc/passwd’ file, potentially disrupting system operations and allowing the attacker to escalate their privileges.
Recommended Mitigation
Users are advised to apply the vendor-provided patch as soon as possible to mitigate this vulnerability. In cases where immediate patching is not feasible, implementing Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation. These systems can monitor for suspicious activities and block malicious traffic, preventing exploitation of this vulnerability. However, these should be considered temporary solutions, and the vendor patch should be applied as soon as practicable.