CVE-2007-3970 in NOD32 Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE
Race condition in ESET NOD32 Antivirus before 2.2289 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted CAB file, which triggers heap corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3970 represents a critical race condition flaw within ESET NOD32 Antivirus software prior to version 2.2289. This vulnerability specifically affects the software's handling of CAB archive files, which are commonly used compression formats in Windows environments. The race condition occurs during the decompression process when the antivirus engine fails to properly synchronize access to heap memory regions, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit temporal inconsistencies in the software's operation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on crafting a specially designed CAB file that, when processed by the vulnerable antivirus software, triggers heap corruption conditions. During the decompression sequence, multiple threads or processes attempt to access and modify the same memory locations without proper synchronization mechanisms, leading to unpredictable memory state changes. This heap corruption can be leveraged by attackers to overwrite critical memory structures, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the antivirus service account. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it operates at the core decompression functionality where legitimate security scanning processes would typically be active.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise environments where ESET NOD32 is deployed as a primary security solution. Attackers could remotely deliver malicious CAB files through various vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites, without requiring local system access. The exploitability of this vulnerability means that even users with standard privileges could potentially escalate their access level to system administrator status, depending on the privileges under which the antivirus service operates. Organizations using older versions of ESET NOD32 would be particularly vulnerable as the race condition exists in the core decompression logic that handles thousands of file types during routine scanning operations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which describes "Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization," and represents a classic example of improper thread synchronization in security software. Additionally, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" when considering the potential for privilege escalation through heap corruption. The remediation strategy involves immediate deployment of ESET NOD32 version 2.2289 or later, which includes proper synchronization mechanisms for heap memory access during decompression operations. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions to limit access to CAB file types where possible, and conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts. Security teams must also verify that the updated antivirus version properly handles all archive formats and maintain continuous monitoring for any signs of exploitation attempts.