Host Executable Permission Checks for Privilege Escalation Risks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to reliably detect privilege escalation vulnerabilities in computer systems before they occur, making it difficult to prevent attacks and react to threats effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for detecting privilege escalation risks by examining executables running on a host, identifying those with elevated privileges, and checking file access permissions to detect potential vulnerabilities, generating alerts for writable and modifiable executables with lower privileges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If code analysis or analysis of freshly installed applications is performed, then general vulnerability detection is possible, but host-specific privilege escalation vulnerabilities cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of executable files and their permissions before privilege escalation can occur. By checking file access permissions and identifying executables that can be modified by lower privilege levels in advance, the system detects vulnerabilities before they are exploited, enabling preventive security measures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables hosts to self-diagnose their own privilege escalation vulnerabilities by analyzing their local executable files and permission configurations. Each host independently identifies its own specific vulnerabilities through automated scanning of executable permissions and modification rights, without requiring external analysis.
2Reliability
If detection is performed after privilege escalation occurs, then confirmed threats can be identified, but response time is delayed and prevention is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs vulnerability detection in advance by analyzing executable file permissions and identifying potential privilege escalation paths before attacks occur. This preliminary detection enables organizations to remediate vulnerabilities proactively, eliminating the time loss associated with post-escalation detection and response.
3Measurement precision
If traditional malware scanning is used, then known malware can be detected, but unknown privilege escalation vulnerabilities remain undetected
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of scanning for known malware signatures, the system inverts the approach by scanning for permission configurations and executable attributes that could enable privilege escalation. It identifies vulnerabilities based on file system permissions and executable modification rights rather than malware content, enabling detection of unknown and zero-day privilege escalation threats.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of privilege escalation risk detection in a host, such as a computer, and/or a network, such as a computer network, is disclosed. The method comprises: examining which executables are running in the host, searching, e.g. from a behavioral data source, behavioral information of the executables running in the host, performing a first identification phase for identifying executables running in the host which the behavioral information indicates are known to be run with an elevated privilege, performing a second identification phase by checking file access permissions to the executables identified in the first identification phase for identifying executables which are writable and/or modifiable by a privilege level lower than the elevated privilege, e.g. a privilege level other than administrator or system level privileges, and generating an alert for the executables identified in the second identification phase.