Malware Achieves Privilege Escalation via Windows UAC

[Venustus]

As good as a defensive mechanism User Account Control (UAC) is for Windows users against actions requiring administrator privileges, users can be tricked to run an app with elevated rights without raising any suspicion.

Researchers at Cylance security company developed proof-of-concept malware that can achieve this via Windows Command Prompt (cmd.exe) and the Registry Editor (regedit.exe), although the list of programs can be extended.

The focus was on these two utilities because of their importance on the system, as they are intended for running advanced administrative functions or for modify operating system settings.

More
And
http://blog.cylance.com/trick-me-once-shameonuac

 

[WinXPert]

Interesting read

 

[Deleted member 178]

ShameOnUAC injects itself into the unprivileged Explorer process, where it hooks SHELL32!AicLaunchAdminProcess and waits for the user to ask to run a program as administrator. It then tampers with the elevation requests before they're sent to the AppInfo service.

as always , all malware works with unaware and Happy Clickers, if not they all failed to bypass UAC.

 

[Cats-4_Owners-2]

as always , all malware works with unaware and Happy Clickers, if not they all failed to bypass UAC.

The higher lesson:
In order to successfully combat malware with UAC we must transform ourselves into more 'Carefully Aware' less 'Happily Careless' clickers!

..just say 'no' to Happy unaware malware succumbing clicking!

 

[WinXPert]

The higher lesson:
In order to successfully combat malware with UAC we must transform ourselves into more 'Carefully Aware' less 'Happily Careless' clickers!

..just say 'no' to Happy unaware malware succumbing clicking!

whatever that means. going to google for meaning

 

[jamescv7]

Typical users wanted a clear label to show if this file is a virus or not, UAC by simple concept is ask for higher privilege level so it needs a training eye or supervision to understand it; its not the fault where UAC fails but the user willingly to accept the risk.

 

[Deleted member 178]

Typical users wanted a clear label to show if this file is a virus or not, UAC by simple concept is ask for higher privilege level so it needs a training eye or supervision to understand it; its not the fault where UAC fails but the user willingly to accept the risk.

exactly , the main point is that UAC is NOT an AV , it is just a Windows' feature that block the automatic launching of executables , nothing more.