CVE-2007-2864 in Unicenter Network And Systems Management
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 large invalid value of the coffFiles field in a .CAB file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2864 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 malformed .CAB file containing an excessively large invalid value in the coffFiles field, creating a condition where memory allocation exceeds the bounds of allocated stack space.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of file format parsing within the anti-virus engine's decompression and analysis routines. When processing .CAB files, the software fails to adequately validate the size parameter specified in the coffFiles field, which serves as a critical indicator for memory allocation decisions. This oversight allows an attacker to craft a malicious .CAB file with an inflated coffFiles value that, when processed by the vulnerable anti-virus engine, triggers a buffer overflow condition. The stack-based nature of this vulnerability means that the overflow corrupts adjacent memory locations including return addresses and function parameters, providing attackers with the opportunity to manipulate program execution flow.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations relying on CA security products, as it enables remote code execution without requiring authentication or privileged access. Attackers can exploit this weakness by delivering a malicious .CAB file through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites. The impact extends beyond individual system compromise to potentially enable lateral movement within network environments, as the vulnerability affects core anti-virus functionality that typically operates with elevated privileges. The vulnerability's remote exploitability makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where anti-virus solutions are deployed across multiple endpoints and network segments.
The weakness aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflow conditions occurring in stack memory regions. This classification indicates that the vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking during stack memory operations, a common pattern in legacy code implementations that fail to account for malicious input values. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1078 Valid Accounts, as exploitation typically involves executing arbitrary code and may require account privileges to maintain persistence. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of CA's security update 30.6, which addresses the buffer overflow by implementing proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Additionally, network segmentation, email filtering, and user education regarding suspicious file attachments provide supplementary defensive measures to reduce exploitation risk.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation in security software, particularly in anti-virus engines that process untrusted data from multiple sources. Legacy anti-virus implementations often contain complex parsing routines that fail to adequately protect against malformed input, creating attack surfaces that adversaries can leverage for privilege escalation and persistent access. Organizations should implement comprehensive vulnerability management programs that include regular security updates, penetration testing, and security code reviews to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other security components. The remediation process should also include monitoring for indicators of compromise and implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to detect exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.