CVE-2007-3800 in AntiVirus Corporate Edition
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Real-time scanner (RTVScan) component in Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition 9.0 through 10.1 and Client Security 2.0 through 3.1, when the Notification Message window is enabled, allows local users to gain privileges via crafted code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3800 resides within the Real-time scanner component of Symantec AntiVirus products, specifically affecting versions 9.0 through 10.1 of the Corporate Edition and Client Security versions 2.0 through 3.1. This issue manifests when the Notification Message window functionality is enabled, creating a privilege escalation vector that local attackers can exploit to elevate their system access rights. The vulnerability falls under the category of unspecified nature, indicating that the specific technical flaw within the RTVScan component has not been fully detailed in the public disclosure, though its impact on system security is clear.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted code execution within the context of the notification message window functionality. When enabled, this feature processes user notifications and messages, creating an attack surface where malicious code can be injected or executed. The privilege escalation aspect suggests that the vulnerability allows a local user to gain elevated privileges beyond their current access level, potentially moving from standard user rights to administrative or system-level access. This represents a critical security flaw in endpoint protection software, as it undermines the fundamental security model that such solutions are designed to enforce.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it compromises the integrity of the endpoint protection system itself. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially bypass the very security controls that Symantec AntiVirus is meant to provide, allowing them to execute malicious code with elevated privileges, modify system files, or establish persistent access to the compromised system. The local nature of the attack means that no network connectivity or remote access is required, making the exploitation more likely and harder to detect through traditional network monitoring approaches. This vulnerability directly impacts the trust model that organizations place in their endpoint security solutions, as it demonstrates that the protection mechanisms can be subverted by local adversaries.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected Symantec products to the latest available versions that contain fixes for this privilege escalation issue. Organizations should also consider disabling the Notification Message window functionality if it is not essential for their operations, as this would eliminate the attack vector. System administrators should implement additional monitoring for unusual privilege escalation events and ensure proper access controls are in place to limit local user capabilities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls, and represents a significant concern from an attacker's perspective as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management processes should be enhanced to identify similar issues in other endpoint protection software components, as this type of vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security solutions and understanding the attack surface of security software itself.