CVE-2007-0602 in VirusWall
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in libvsapi.so in the VSAPI library in Trend Micro VirusWall 3.81 for Linux, as used by IScan.BASE/vscan, allows local users to gain privileges via a long command line argument, a different vulnerability than CVE-2005-0533.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0602 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the VSAPI library component of Trend Micro VirusWall 3.81 for Linux systems. This security weakness specifically affects the libvsapi.so shared library that serves as the core interface for the IScan.BASE/vscan functionality. The vulnerability manifests when the system processes command line arguments that exceed the allocated buffer size, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by local attackers to escalate privileges. Unlike CVE-2005-0533 which addressed a different vector of attack, this particular flaw focuses exclusively on command line argument handling within the VSAPI library context.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs within the libvsapi.so library where insufficient input validation and boundary checking mechanisms fail to properly constrain the length of command line arguments passed to the vulnerable functions. When a local user provides an excessively long command line argument, the program's memory management fails to properly handle the overflow condition, allowing adjacent memory regions to be overwritten with attacker-controlled data. This memory corruption can be specifically exploited to manipulate the program's execution flow, potentially enabling privilege escalation from a regular user account to a more elevated system privilege level. The vulnerability operates at the system level where the VSAPI library functions are invoked, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through legitimate system interfaces that are typically accessible to local users.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-0602 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it represents a fundamental security weakness in the core antivirus scanning infrastructure of Trend Micro VirusWall implementations. Local users who can execute commands on the affected system gain the ability to elevate their privileges without requiring authentication or external network access, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for environments where local system access is not strictly controlled. The exploitation potential is enhanced because the vulnerability exists within a library that is actively used by the antivirus scanning process, meaning that even routine scanning operations could potentially be leveraged to trigger the buffer overflow condition. This creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the vulnerable version of VirusWall is operational on the system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-0602 should prioritize immediate patching of the Trend Micro VirusWall 3.81 installation with the vendor-provided security update that addresses the specific buffer overflow in libvsapi.so. Organizations should implement strict access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized local access attempts that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that violates secure coding practices. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques using local exploitation methods and can be categorized under the T1068 adversary technique for bypassing security restrictions. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls, privilege separation mechanisms, and comprehensive monitoring of command line argument processing to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process must include thorough testing of the patched version to ensure that the fix does not introduce regressions in the antivirus scanning functionality while maintaining the system's overall security posture.