CVE-2002-2394 in Interscan Viruswall
Summary
by MITRE
InterScan VirusWall 3.6 for Linux and 3.52 for Windows allows remote attackers to bypass virus protection and possibly execute arbitrary code via HTTP 1.1 chunked transfer encoding.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2394 represents a critical security flaw in the InterScan VirusWall network security product line, specifically affecting versions 3.6 for Linux and 3.52 for Windows. This vulnerability resides within the HTTP protocol handling mechanisms of the virus wall system, creating a pathway for malicious actors to circumvent the intended security protections. The flaw is particularly concerning as it allows remote attackers to exploit the system's handling of HTTP 1.1 chunked transfer encoding, a standard method for transmitting data in web communications. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple bypass of protection mechanisms, as it potentially enables arbitrary code execution on the affected systems, making it a severe threat to network security infrastructure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation and processing of HTTP 1.1 chunked transfer encoding within the InterScan VirusWall implementation. When the system receives HTTP requests containing chunked transfer encoding, it fails to properly parse or validate the chunked data structure, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that can bypass the virus scanning mechanisms. This processing error creates a condition where the system may misinterpret or ignore certain portions of the HTTP request, effectively allowing malicious content to pass through the security controls undetected. The vulnerability specifically exploits the way the system handles the chunked encoding format, which consists of a series of chunks followed by a zero-length chunk, where each chunk is preceded by its size in hexadecimal format. The improper implementation means that attackers can manipulate the chunked data to either hide malicious content or cause the system to skip scanning certain parts of the request.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-2394 is substantial for organizations relying on InterScan VirusWall for network security protection. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can bypass the antivirus scanning capabilities that the system is designed to provide, potentially allowing malware, viruses, or other malicious payloads to enter the network undetected. The potential for arbitrary code execution adds another layer of severity, as it could enable attackers to gain full control over the affected systems, leading to data breaches, system compromise, and further lateral movement within the network. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face significant risk of security incidents that could result in financial loss, regulatory compliance violations, and damage to their reputation. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require physical access to the systems and can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability by upgrading to patched versions of InterScan VirusWall, as the vendor would have released security updates to resolve the chunked transfer encoding processing issues. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level controls and monitoring to detect unusual HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which deals with improper validation of input length or count, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: HTTP, where attackers manipulate HTTP requests to bypass security controls. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict HTTP protocol validation at network boundaries, deploying web application firewalls, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar processing vulnerabilities in other network security components. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure they can quickly detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts of this type of vulnerability.