CVE-2006-4265 in Kaspersky Anti-Hacker
Summary
by MITRE
Kaspersky Anti-Hacker 1.8.180, when Stealth Mode is enabled, allows remote attackers to obtain responses to ICMP (1) timestamp and (2) netmask requests, which is inconsistent with the documented behavior of Stealth Mode.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2017
Kaspersky Anti-Hacker 1.8.180 presents a significant security vulnerability when operating in Stealth Mode, fundamentally undermining the expected network protection mechanisms. This vulnerability specifically affects the system's handling of Internet Control Message Protocol requests, particularly timestamp and netmask queries that are typically used for network diagnostics and configuration. The flaw represents a direct deviation from the documented security behavior where Stealth Mode is supposed to conceal system information and prevent network reconnaissance activities. When Stealth Mode is enabled, the software fails to properly filter or block these ICMP requests, creating an information disclosure vulnerability that exposes network configuration details to remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the software's inadequate handling of ICMP protocol responses within its stealth protection framework. Timestamp requests (type 13) and netmask requests (type 17) are standard ICMP messages used by network administrators to determine system time synchronization and subnet configuration details. In a properly functioning stealth mode, these requests should either be silently dropped or responded to with minimal information to prevent attackers from gathering network intelligence. However, Kaspersky Anti-Hacker 1.8.180 fails to implement this filtering correctly, allowing these requests to proceed and return responses that reveal system-specific information. This behavior creates a vector for network reconnaissance attacks and violates fundamental security principles of defensive network architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with valuable network intelligence that can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. When attackers can obtain timestamp responses, they gain insights into system uptime, time synchronization mechanisms, and potentially network topology details. Netmask responses reveal subnet configurations and network segmentation information that could be used to map network structures and identify potential targets. This vulnerability essentially defeats the purpose of the Stealth Mode feature, which is designed to make systems invisible to network scanning and reconnaissance tools. The exposure of these responses creates opportunities for attackers to perform network mapping, identify system types, and potentially exploit other vulnerabilities based on the gathered information.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses the disclosure of sensitive information, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in network security. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this behavior under reconnaissance activities, specifically network scanning and enumeration techniques that attackers use to gather intelligence before launching more targeted attacks. Organizations using Kaspersky Anti-Hacker 1.8.180 in Stealth Mode configuration are left with a false sense of security, as the software fails to provide the expected protection against passive network reconnaissance. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical flaw in the software's security implementation where the defensive mechanisms are bypassed, leaving systems exposed to information gathering activities that should be prevented by the very security features designed to protect them.
Effective mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate software updates or patches from Kaspersky, as the issue stems from a fundamental implementation flaw in the Stealth Mode functionality. Organizations should disable Stealth Mode until a patched version is available, or implement additional network-level controls such as firewall rules that block ICMP timestamp and netmask requests at the network boundary. Network administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can monitor for unusual ICMP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments should verify that stealth protection mechanisms are functioning correctly and that no information disclosure vulnerabilities exist in network security tools. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of thorough security testing for defensive tools, as these products are often trusted to provide protection while potentially exposing systems to reconnaissance attacks through implementation flaws.