CVE-2004-1748 in Regmon
Summary
by MITRE
NtRegmon before 6.12 allows local users to cause a denial of service (crash), while NtRegmon is running, via invalid pointers to hook functions such as ZwSetQueryValue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1748 affects NtRegmon versions prior to 6.12, representing a significant security flaw in Windows registry monitoring software. This issue manifests as a local privilege escalation vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious users within the system to disrupt normal operations. The flaw specifically targets the hook function mechanism used by NtRegmon to monitor registry activities, creating a potential pathway for system instability and denial of service conditions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in inadequate input validation within the NtRegmon application's handling of registry-related system calls. When the software encounters invalid pointers during operations involving functions such as ZwSetQueryValue, the monitoring process fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before processing them. This lack of proper pointer validation creates a condition where malformed or maliciously crafted registry operations can trigger memory corruption within the monitoring process. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-129, which covers insufficient validation of array indices, both of which are directly applicable to the improper pointer handling within the registry monitoring functions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to system stability and availability. Local users who can execute code on the target system can leverage this flaw to cause NtRegmon to crash, effectively terminating the registry monitoring functionality and potentially creating a window for further exploitation. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the instability introduced by the crash can affect other system components that rely on registry monitoring for proper operation. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level, where registry monitoring functions are typically executed, making it difficult to detect and mitigate without proper system hardening measures.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing malicious code through command-line interfaces, and T1489, which focuses on denial of service attacks. Security professionals should consider implementing comprehensive system monitoring to detect abnormal registry access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and error handling in system-level software, particularly in monitoring tools that operate with elevated privileges.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address this vulnerability, as the NtRegmon tool is often used in enterprise environments for security monitoring and compliance purposes. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to NtRegmon version 6.12 or later, which includes proper pointer validation and error handling mechanisms. Additionally, system administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit local user privileges where possible. Regular security assessments should include verification of registry monitoring tool integrity and proper configuration to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other system components.