CVE-2005-4505 in virusscan enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
unquoted windows search path vulnerability in mcafee virusscan enterprise 8.0i (patch 11) and cma 3.5 (patch 5) might allow local users to gain privileges via a malicious "program.exe" file in the c: folder which is run by naprdmgr.exe when it attempts to execute entvutil.exe under an unquoted "program files" path.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/31/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4505 represents a critical security flaw in McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 8.0i and Common Management Agent 3.5 versions, specifically affecting systems where the software is installed with default configurations. This issue stems from improper handling of search paths during executable file resolution, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by local attackers to escalate privileges. The vulnerability manifests when the naprdmgr.exe process attempts to execute entvutil.exe, which is located in a directory path that contains spaces and lacks proper quotation marks around the path specification.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-428, which describes the condition where an application fails to properly quote a path during execution, allowing an attacker to place malicious executables in directories that are searched before the intended target. In this specific case, the unquoted search path includes the C:\Program Files\ directory structure, where naprdmgr.exe attempts to locate entvutil.exe without proper path quoting. When a malicious program.exe file is placed in the root C:\ directory, the system's search behavior causes naprdmgr.exe to execute this malicious file instead of the legitimate entvutil.exe program, providing an attack vector for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows local users with minimal privileges to potentially execute arbitrary code with elevated permissions. This occurs because the naprdmgr.exe process typically runs with higher privileges than standard user accounts, enabling the malicious code execution to leverage these elevated rights. The attack requires the local user to have write access to the C:\ directory, which is often available in default installations, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where standard users have access to the system root directory.
The vulnerability can be exploited through a straightforward attack pattern where an attacker places a specially crafted program.exe file in the C:\ root directory, ensuring that the file name matches the expected executable name that would be found in the unquoted search path. This attack follows the principles outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation technique, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through path manipulation. The attack vector is particularly effective because it exploits the default behavior of Windows command execution where unquoted paths are resolved in a predictable manner, allowing attackers to place malicious executables in strategic locations.
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement proper path quoting in all executable calls, ensuring that directory paths containing spaces are properly enclosed in quotation marks. The recommended approach involves updating the affected McAfee products to the latest available patches, which address this specific path resolution issue. Additionally, system administrators should conduct thorough audits of all installed software to identify similar unquoted path vulnerabilities in other applications, as this represents a common security flaw in Windows environments. Network security teams should also implement monitoring for unusual execution patterns and file creation in system root directories, as these activities may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and proper path handling in application development, aligning with security best practices established in industry standards such as the OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.