CVE-2006-6676 in NOD32 Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the (a) OLE2 and (b) CHM parsers for ESET NOD32 Antivirus before 1.1743 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .DOC or (2) .CAB file that triggers a heap-based buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-6676 represents a critical integer overflow flaw affecting ESET NOD32 Antivirus versions prior to 1.1743. This vulnerability exists within the OLE2 and CHM parsers that process Microsoft Office documents and compressed archive files respectively. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and arithmetic overflow handling during the parsing process of maliciously crafted files. When the antivirus software encounters specially crafted .DOC or .CAB files, the integer overflow conditions trigger heap-based buffer overflows that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic software security weakness where integer arithmetic operations fail to properly validate input values before performing memory allocation calculations. In the context of OLE2 and CHM file parsing, the parsers attempt to calculate buffer sizes or array indices based on data extracted from the malicious files without sufficient bounds checking. This oversight creates a scenario where an attacker can manipulate file headers or metadata to cause integer overflow conditions that result in heap corruption. The vulnerability specifically affects the memory management routines within the antivirus engine's file parsing components, making it particularly dangerous as it targets the core functionality of the security software itself.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations relying on ESET NOD32 Antivirus for endpoint protection. The remote code execution capability means that attackers can potentially compromise systems simply by delivering malicious files through email attachments, web downloads, or removable media. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it exploits the very software designed to protect against such threats, creating a scenario where the security solution becomes the attack surface. Organizations may experience unauthorized access, data exfiltration, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their networks once the initial exploit succeeds. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual system compromise to potentially affect entire network infrastructures, especially in environments where antivirus solutions are deployed at scale.
The remediation strategy for CVE-2006-6676 requires immediate patch deployment for ESET NOD32 Antivirus versions prior to 1.1743, with particular attention to ensuring that all endpoints receive the updated security definitions and software patches. Organizations should implement layered security controls including network segmentation, email filtering, and application whitelisting to reduce the attack surface while patches are being deployed. System administrators must conduct thorough testing of the updated antivirus versions to ensure compatibility with existing network infrastructure and business applications. Additionally, organizations should monitor their systems for signs of exploitation attempts and maintain detailed logging of file access patterns to detect potential malicious activity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, Integer Overflow or Wraparound, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution, highlighting the importance of addressing such flaws in security software to prevent attackers from leveraging legitimate security tools against their own networks.