CVE-2007-2863 in Anti-Virus Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the Anti-Virus engine before content update 30.6 in multiple CA (formerly Computer Associates) products allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long filename in a .CAB file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2863 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the anti-virus engine component of multiple CA (formerly Computer Associates) security products. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to content update 30.6 and demonstrates a fundamental weakness in input validation mechanisms that process compressed archive files. The flaw manifests when the anti-virus engine encounters a maliciously crafted .CAB file containing an excessively long filename that exceeds the allocated stack buffer space. This particular vulnerability type falls under CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a severe vulnerability category in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework and is often exploited in remote code execution scenarios.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of filename length validation within the CAB file decompression process. When the anti-virus engine attempts to extract and process filenames from .CAB archives, it fails to adequately verify the length of the filename against the predetermined buffer size allocated on the stack. This allows an attacker to craft a malicious CAB file with an oversized filename that overflows the stack buffer, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the anti-virus engine's processing pipeline, meaning that simply opening or scanning a malicious file could trigger the exploit without requiring user interaction beyond the initial file access.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations relying on CA security products, as it enables remote code execution attacks that can bypass traditional security controls. The attack vector requires only that a malicious CAB file be processed by the vulnerable anti-virus engine, which could occur during automated scanning of network traffic, email attachments, or file transfers. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors who may leverage it to establish persistent access to compromised systems. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution that allows attackers to run commands on the affected system.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided patch or update 30.6 that addresses the buffer overflow in the anti-virus engine. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing file type restrictions and sandboxing mechanisms to prevent processing of suspicious CAB files. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and buffer management in security software, as the anti-virus engine itself becomes a potential attack surface rather than a protective barrier. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include verification of anti-virus engine versions and patches to prevent exploitation of similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in other security components. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect anomalous file processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts.