CVE-2005-0350 in F-Secure
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in multiple F-Secure Anti-Virus and Internet Security products allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted ARJ archive.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0350 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow affecting multiple F-Secure Anti-Virus and Internet Security products. This flaw exists within the handling of ARJ archive files, which are commonly used compressed file formats that can contain multiple files and directories. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the affected software processes maliciously crafted ARJ archives, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to gain unauthorized code execution privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the ARJ decompression routines of the F-Secure security software. When processing a specially crafted ARJ archive, the software fails to properly bounds-check buffer allocations, allowing an attacker to overflow heap memory regions and potentially overwrite critical memory structures. This heap-based buffer overflow occurs because the application does not adequately validate the size or structure of data contained within the ARJ archive before attempting to decompress and store it in memory buffers. The flaw is classified under CWE-121 as a heap-based buffer overflow, which represents a common class of memory corruption vulnerabilities that have historically been exploited for privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it affects widely deployed enterprise security solutions that are designed to protect against malware threats. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious ARJ archives that, when processed by vulnerable F-Secure products, trigger the buffer overflow condition. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where an attacker can bypass the very security measures designed to protect systems, potentially gaining full system control or executing malicious payloads with elevated privileges. The remote execution capability means that attackers do not need physical access to target systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments where security software is centrally managed and deployed.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and execution through legitimate system processes. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to establish persistent access or move laterally within networks, as the compromised security software would be trusted by the system. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that F-Secure products are widely used in enterprise environments, meaning that successful exploitation could affect numerous systems simultaneously. Organizations relying on these security products for protection against other threats would find themselves in a compromised state where their defensive measures become ineffective against the very attack that exploits the vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of affected F-Secure products, as vendors would have released security updates addressing the heap overflow condition. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation, disable unnecessary decompression capabilities for archive files, and monitor for suspicious archive processing activities. Additionally, implementing application whitelisting controls and restricting the execution of untrusted archives can provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in security software, as even protective tools can contain exploitable flaws that attackers can leverage to compromise systems.