CVE-2005-3210 in GroupShield
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple interpretation error in unspecified versions of Kaspersky Antivirus allows remote attackers to bypass virus detection via a malicious executable in a specially crafted RAR file with malformed central and local headers, which can still be opened by products such as Winrar and PowerZip, even though they are rejected as corrupted by Winzip and BitZipper.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3210 represents a critical flaw in Kaspersky Antivirus software that demonstrates a fundamental issue in how antivirus solutions interpret and process compressed archive files. This vulnerability specifically targets the handling of RAR (Roshal Archive) files, which are commonly used for file compression and distribution. The flaw occurs within the antivirus engine's parsing logic for RAR file structures, where the software fails to properly validate the integrity of central and local headers that define the archive's internal structure and file locations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of RAR file metadata, creating a scenario where attackers can craft malicious executables that appear legitimate to certain archive utilities while simultaneously evading detection by Kaspersky's antivirus engine. This issue falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, which deals with improper validation of array indices and buffer overflows, though in this case the vulnerability manifests as a logic error in file interpretation rather than a direct buffer overflow. The problem is particularly insidious because it exploits the difference in how various archive utilities handle malformed files, creating a false sense of security when other tools correctly identify the file as corrupted.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on Kaspersky Antivirus for protection, as it allows attackers to bypass security measures through seemingly innocuous compressed files. Attackers can embed malicious executables within RAR archives that contain malformed headers, enabling them to execute code on target systems without triggering antivirus alerts. This technique leverages the fact that legitimate archive tools like WinRAR and PowerZip will still attempt to open these files despite the malformed headers, creating a window of opportunity for malicious activity. The vulnerability essentially creates a false positive scenario where the antivirus system incorrectly assesses the file as safe while other tools correctly identify it as corrupted.
The attack vector for this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of understanding how different software components interact with file formats and how validation discrepancies can create security gaps. This issue highlights the need for comprehensive file format validation across all layers of security infrastructure, as the flaw exists not in the antivirus engine's detection capabilities but in its interpretation of archive structures. Organizations using Kaspersky products would have been particularly vulnerable to this attack, as the vulnerability allowed for the delivery of malicious payloads through legitimate-looking compressed files that would pass through other security checks. The remediation approach would have required updating the antivirus engine's RAR file parsing logic to properly validate header structures and implement stricter validation of archive integrity. This vulnerability also underscores the broader challenge of maintaining consistent security behavior across different software tools and the importance of adhering to established file format standards to prevent such discrepancies that attackers can exploit.