CVE-2024-57394 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the Qi-ANXIN Tianqing Endpoint Security Management System version 10.0. The vulnerability arises from the 'quarantine - restore' function, which improperly allows users to restore quarantined files to arbitrary file system paths. This flaw enables an attacker to place malicious DLL files into critical system directories. By doing so, the attacker can exploit Windows DLL hijacking vulnerabilities, where the operating system loads a malicious DLL instead of a legitimate one, leading to privilege escalation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-73, which involves external control of file name or path, indicating that the application does not properly restrict or sanitize the file paths used during the restore operation. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 8.8, reflecting a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and unchanged scope. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the potential for attackers to gain elevated privileges by leveraging this vulnerability is significant, especially in environments where the endpoint security system is deployed with administrative privileges. The lack of available patches at the time of publication further increases the risk for affected organizations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a serious risk, particularly for enterprises relying on Qi-ANXIN Tianqing Endpoint Security Management System for endpoint protection. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to escalate privileges on compromised systems, potentially leading to full system compromise, unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, and lateral movement within networks. This could undermine the integrity of security infrastructure itself, as the endpoint security system is a trusted component. The impact is heightened in sectors with stringent data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government, where unauthorized access or service disruption could lead to regulatory penalties under GDPR and other compliance frameworks. Additionally, the ability to write malicious DLLs to system paths could facilitate persistent footholds for attackers, complicating incident response and remediation efforts. Given the network attack vector and low complexity, attackers with limited capabilities but some level of access could exploit this vulnerability, increasing the threat surface for European organizations.

Organizations should immediately audit their use of Qi-ANXIN Tianqing Endpoint Security Management System version 10.0 and restrict access to the quarantine restore function to only highly trusted administrators. Implement strict file path validation and monitoring to detect unauthorized file restorations to system directories. Employ application whitelisting and integrity monitoring tools to detect and block unauthorized DLLs in critical system paths. Network segmentation should be used to limit the ability of attackers to reach systems running the vulnerable software. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling or restricting the quarantine restore functionality if feasible. Conduct thorough endpoint and network monitoring for signs of DLL hijacking or privilege escalation attempts. Additionally, educate IT staff on the risks associated with DLL hijacking and ensure that incident response plans include steps to address this specific threat. Engage with the vendor for timely updates and patches, and apply them as soon as they become available.