CVE-2020-36160: Critical severity veritas system recovery vulnerability
An issue was discovered in Veritas System Recovery before 21.2. On start-up, it loads the OpenSSL library from \usr\local\ssl. This library attempts to load the from \usr\local\ssl\openssl.cnf configuration file, which does not exist. By default, on Windows systems, users can create directories under C:\. A low privileged user can create a C:\usr\local\ssl\openssl.cnf configuration file to load a malicious OpenSSL engine, resulting in arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM when the service starts. This gives the attacker administrator access on the system, allowing the attacker (by default) to access all data and installed applications, etc. If the system is also an Active Directory domain controller, then this can affect the entire domain.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the vulnerability ID for this issue?
The vulnerability ID for this issue is CVE-2020-36160.
What is the severity of CVE-2020-36160?
The severity of CVE-2020-36160 is critical with a CVSS score of 8.8.
What is the affected software?
The affected software is Veritas System Recovery before version 21.2.
How does this vulnerability occur?
This vulnerability occurs when Veritas System Recovery tries to load the OpenSSL library from a non-existent configuration file.
Is Microsoft Windows affected by this vulnerability?
No, Microsoft Windows is not affected by this vulnerability.
How can I fix this issue?
To fix this issue, update Veritas System Recovery to version 21.2 or later.
Where can I find more information about this vulnerability?
More information about this vulnerability can be found at the following URL: https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/security/VTS20-017