privilege Archives

Winsage

May 23, 2025

Unpatched Windows Server vulnerability allows full domain compromise

A newly discovered privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows Server 2025, known as the “BadSuccessor” attack, allows attackers to compromise any user within Active Directory (AD), including those with Domain Admin privileges. This vulnerability stems from the delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) feature, which can be exploited by creating a new dMSA linked to any user or computer account without requiring direct access to the original account. Researchers found that 91% of examined environments had users outside the Domain Admin group with the necessary permissions to execute this attack. Microsoft has been notified and is working on a patch, while organizations are advised to restrict dMSA creation to trusted administrators and enhance their security measures.

AppWizard

May 23, 2025

NDreams co-founder Patrick O’Luanaigh stepping down as CEO

Patrick O’Luanaigh will transition from CEO to Chairman of NDreams effective June 1st, with Tom Gillo, the current Chief Development Officer, becoming the new CEO. O’Luanaigh co-founded NDreams in 2006 and expressed pride in the company's growth. NDreams was acquired by Aonic Group for 0 million in 2023, but subsequently laid off 17.5 percent of its workforce nearly a year later.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Windows Server Flaw a Shortcut to Privilege Escalation

An unpatched vulnerability in Windows Server 2025, identified by Akamai researchers, is associated with a method called "BadSuccessor." This flaw, considered "trivial" to exploit and present in the default configuration, allows for privilege escalation and potential full domain compromise. The vulnerability arises from delegated managed service accounts (dMSA), which were intended to enhance security during the migration of legacy service accounts. However, dMSAs can inherit permissions from legacy accounts, enabling attackers to simulate a migration and gain access to the permissions and encryption keys of those accounts without verification. The attack requires prior permissions within an Active Directory organizational unit, indicating a previous breach. Akamai reported the vulnerability to Microsoft on April 1, but Microsoft classified its severity as "moderate." Akamai recommends organizations restrict the creation of dMSAs to mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability.

Winsage

May 21, 2025

New Windows Server 2025 Attack Compromises Any Active Directory User

A significant security flaw, named BadSuccessor, has been discovered in Windows Server 2025, posing a serious risk to Active Directory users. This privilege escalation vulnerability allows attackers to compromise any user in Active Directory and is alarmingly easy to exploit, requiring only basic permissions on any organizational unit. Currently, no patch is available for this vulnerability. In 91% of environments examined, users outside the domain admins group had the necessary permissions to execute the attack. The exploit leverages the delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) feature, enabling attackers to take control of any principal within the domain. Microsoft has rated the vulnerability as moderate severity and plans to address it in a future update, noting that elevated user permissions are required for successful exploitation. Organizations are advised to identify and eliminate unnecessary permissions to mitigate potential threats.

Winsage

May 21, 2025

Active Directory DMSA Attack Detailed By Researchers

The delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) feature in Windows Server 2025 has a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows attackers to compromise any user in an Active Directory (AD) environment. Research by Yuval Gordon revealed that in 91% of examined environments, users outside the domain admins group had the necessary permissions to exploit this vulnerability. The attack can be executed with benign permissions on any organizational unit (OU) and does not require actual migration of accounts. Gordon's technique, called “BadSuccessor,” enables an attacker controlling a dMSA object to inherit the permissions and keys of any user, including those with high privileges. Microsoft has acknowledged the vulnerability but categorized it as a Moderate severity issue. Akamai recommends limiting the creation of dMSAs and tightening permissions until a patch is released.

Winsage

May 21, 2025

Windows 11 Introduces Enhanced Administrator Protection to Strengthen Security Against Elevated Privilege Attacks

Microsoft has launched Administrator Protection for Windows 11, a feature designed to enhance cybersecurity by preventing privilege escalation attacks. This feature creates a security boundary around administrative operations, reducing the attack surface for cybercriminals. It introduces a hidden, system-managed local user account that generates isolated admin tokens, preventing user-level malware from compromising elevated processes. Administrator Protection eliminates auto-elevation functionality, requiring users to explicitly authorize administrative actions. It utilizes a System Managed Administrator Account (SMAA) that generates non-persistent admin tokens for specific tasks, which are discarded after use. The feature is currently available to Windows Insiders in the Canary channel and will expand to the Dev channel, with broader deployment expected in the 24H2 release. Compatibility challenges may arise in complex development environments, such as with Visual Studio.

Winsage

May 20, 2025

Securing the Model Context Protocol: Building a safer agentic future on Windows

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a lightweight, open protocol functioning as JSON-RPC over HTTP, facilitating standardized discovery and invocation of tools. MCP defines three roles: MCP Hosts (applications accessing capabilities), MCP Clients (initiators of requests), and MCP Servers (services exposing functionalities). Windows 11 will incorporate MCP to enable developers to create intelligent applications leveraging generative AI. An early preview of MCP capabilities will be available for developer feedback. MCP introduces security risks, including cross-prompt injection, authentication gaps, credential leakage, tool poisoning, lack of containment, limited security review, registry risks, and command injection. To address these, Windows 11's MCP Security Architecture will establish security requirements for MCP servers, ensuring user safety and transparency, enforcing least privilege, and implementing security controls like proxy-mediated communication, tool-level authorization, a central server registry, and runtime isolation. MCP servers must comply with security requirements, including mandatory code signing, unchanged tool definitions at runtime, security testing, mandatory package identity, and declared privileges. An early private preview of MCP server capability will be offered to developers post-Microsoft Build for feedback, with a secure-by-default enforcement strategy planned for broader availability. Microsoft aims to enhance defenses continuously and collaborate with partners to bolster MCP's security framework.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

Microsoft’s ‘Patch Tuesday’ Update Fixes Seven Zero-Day Exploits

Microsoft's latest Patch Tuesday update addresses 72 security vulnerabilities, including five critical zero-day vulnerabilities. Four of these zero-days are elevation of privilege flaws: - CVE-2025-32701 and CVE-2025-32706 target the Windows Common Log File System Driver. - CVE-2025-30400 affects the Microsoft DWM Core Library. - CVE-2025-32709 involves the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. These vulnerabilities allow attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges locally. The fifth zero-day, CVE-2025-30397, is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Microsoft Scripting Engine, which can be exploited through malicious links in Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer. CVE-2025-30397, CVE-2025-32701, and CVE-2025-30400 were discovered by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center, while CVE-2025-32706 was disclosed by the Google Threat Intelligence Group and CrowdStrike, and CVE-2025-32709 was reported by an anonymous researcher. Additionally, a publicly disclosed spoofing flaw in Microsoft Defender, CVE-2025-26685, allows unauthenticated attackers with local network access to impersonate another account. The final zero-day, CVE-2025-32702, is a remote code execution vulnerability in Visual Studio.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

Microsoft Confirms Windows Is Under Attack — You Must Act Now

Microsoft has confirmed multiple zero-day vulnerabilities being actively targeted by malicious actors. One significant vulnerability is CVE-2025-30397, a memory corruption flaw in the Windows scripting engine that affects all versions of Windows and allows code execution over the network. It has a CVSS score of 7.8 and is considered critical. Successful exploitation requires the target to use Edge in Internet Explorer Mode and for the user to click a malicious link. Other vulnerabilities include: - CVE-2025-32709: An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows ancillary function driver for WinSock, affecting Windows Server 12 and later. - CVE-2025-32701 and CVE-2025-32706: Vulnerabilities in the Windows Common Log File Driver System that could allow local attackers to gain system privileges, affecting all versions of Windows. - CVE-2025-30400: An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows desktop window manager, affecting Windows 10, Server 2016, and later OS versions. Windows users are urged to update their systems with the latest security patches immediately.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

Windows DWM 0-Day Vulnerability Allows Attackers to Escalate Privileges

Microsoft has addressed a zero-day vulnerability in the Windows Desktop Window Manager (DWM) Core Library, identified as CVE-2025-30400, which allows attackers to gain SYSTEM-level privileges on affected systems. This "Elevation of Privilege" vulnerability, arising from a "use-after-free" memory corruption issue, was actively exploited prior to the release of a patch on May 13, 2025. The vulnerability permits an authorized attacker to execute code with SYSTEM privileges by exploiting improper memory management within the DWM process. Microsoft classified the severity of this vulnerability as "Important" and assigned it a CVSS score of 7.8. Users and administrators are strongly advised to apply the latest updates to mitigate the risk of exploitation.