CVE-2023-52090
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a link following vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex One security agent that allows a local attacker to escalate privileges on affected installations. An attacker must first have low-privileged code execution capability on the target system to exploit this vulnerability. This affects organizations using Trend Micro Apex One security software.
💻 Affected Systems
- Trend Micro Apex One
📦 What is this software?
Apex One by Trendmicro
Apex One by Trendmicro
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Local attacker gains SYSTEM/administrator privileges, enabling complete system compromise, data theft, persistence establishment, and lateral movement capabilities.
Likely Case
Local attacker with initial foothold escalates to administrative privileges, allowing them to disable security controls, install malware, or access sensitive data.
If Mitigated
Attack is contained to the local system without privilege escalation, limiting damage to the initial compromised user context.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to execute low-privileged code first. Link following vulnerabilities typically involve manipulating symbolic links or junctions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check Trend Micro advisory for specific patched versions
Vendor Advisory: https://success.trendmicro.com/dcx/s/solution/000296151?language=en_US
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check current Apex One version. 2. Apply the latest security update from Trend Micro. 3. Restart affected systems. 4. Verify patch installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict local user privileges
windowsLimit local user accounts to minimum necessary privileges to reduce attack surface
Implement application whitelisting
windowsUse AppLocker or similar to restrict execution of unauthorized binaries
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict least privilege access controls for all user accounts
- Monitor for suspicious privilege escalation attempts and file system manipulation
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Trend Micro Apex One agent version against affected versions listed in vendor advisoryCheck Version:
Check Apex One console or agent properties for version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Apex One agent has been updated to patched version and restart has been performed📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual privilege escalation events
- Suspicious file system operations involving symbolic links/junctions
- Security agent service manipulation
Network Indicators:
- Not applicable - local exploitation only
SIEM Query:
Search for Event ID 4688 (process creation) with parent process being Apex One agent followed by privilege escalation events