CVE-2007-5587 in SafeDisc
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Macrovision SafeDisc secdrv.sys before 4.3.86.0, as shipped in Microsoft Windows XP SP2, XP Professional x64 and x64 SP2, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, and Server 2003 x64 and x64 SP2 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary memory locations and gain privileges via a crafted argument to a METHOD_NEITHER IOCTL, as originally discovered in the wild.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-5587 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Macrovision SafeDisc secdrv.sys driver component that was distributed with several Microsoft Windows operating systems including Windows XP SP2, XP Professional x64, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, and their respective x64 variants. This issue stems from improper input validation within the kernel-mode driver that handles IOCTL (Input/Output Control) operations, specifically those with METHOD_NEITHER access method which bypasses normal parameter validation mechanisms. The vulnerability was particularly concerning because it was discovered in the wild, indicating active exploitation attempts before official patches were released. The flaw exists in the driver's handling of IOCTL requests that use METHOD_NEITHER, where the driver fails to properly bounds-check user-supplied input parameters before copying them into fixed-size kernel buffers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic buffer overflow condition where a local attacker can craft a malicious IOCTL request with oversized parameters that exceed the allocated buffer space within the secdrv.sys driver. When the driver processes these malformed parameters, it writes data beyond the intended buffer boundaries, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including critical kernel data structures, function pointers, or return addresses. This memory corruption can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively allowing privilege escalation from a standard user account to SYSTEM level access. The vulnerability specifically affects the METHOD_NEITHER IOCTL handling mechanism which is designed to avoid automatic parameter copying and validation, making it particularly susceptible to improper bounds checking since the driver must manually validate all input parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. Local users who can execute code on the target system can leverage this flaw to gain SYSTEM-level privileges without requiring physical access or additional attack vectors. The exploitation requires minimal privileges since the vulnerability exists within a driver that is typically accessible to local users, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments or when users have legitimate access to the system. The fact that this vulnerability was discovered in the wild indicates that it was actively exploited by threat actors, suggesting that automated exploitation tools may have been developed for this specific flaw. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where users may have legitimate access to systems but could potentially abuse this privilege escalation mechanism.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-5587 primarily focus on patch management and driver isolation. Microsoft released patches through Windows Update that addressed the buffer overflow in the secdrv.sys driver, with the specific version 4.3.86.0 being the recommended fixed version. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive the necessary updates. Additionally, system administrators can disable the SafeDisc driver entirely if it is not required for legitimate business operations, though this may impact software that requires SafeDisc protection. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation in kernel-mode drivers. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques under the T1068 category, specifically leveraging kernel-mode exploits to gain SYSTEM-level access. Network segmentation and user access controls can provide additional defense-in-depth layers to limit potential exploitation impact, though the local nature of the attack means that physical access or existing user credentials are typically required for exploitation.