CVE-2008-0910 in Internet Security
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple F-Secure anti-virus products, including Internet Security 2006 through 2008, Anti-Virus 2006 through 2008, F-Secure Protection Service, and others, allow remote attackers to bypass malware detection via a crafted RAR archive. NOTE: this might be related to CVE-2008-0792.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-0910 represents a significant weakness in multiple versions of F-Secure anti-virus software spanning from 2006 through 2008. This security flaw specifically affects F-Secure Internet Security 2006 through 2008, Anti-Virus 2006 through 2008, and the F-Secure Protection Service, creating a dangerous bypass mechanism that allows malicious actors to evade detection. The vulnerability manifests through the manipulation of RAR archive files, which are commonly used compression formats for distributing files across networks. Attackers can craft specially designed RAR archives that exploit weaknesses in the F-Secure scanning engine, enabling malware to pass undetected through the security controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of RAR archive structures within the F-Secure anti-virus products. When these products encounter a crafted RAR file, the scanning engine fails to properly analyze the archive contents or may misinterpret the archive's structure, leading to false negatives in malware detection. This represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and inadequate archive parsing mechanisms, which are categorized under CWE-221 in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The flaw demonstrates poor security design principles where the anti-virus software fails to implement robust checks for archive integrity and content analysis.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple malware evasion, as it fundamentally undermines the trust placed in F-Secure anti-virus solutions during the specified time period. Organizations relying on these products would experience false security assurances while their systems remained vulnerable to attacks that could exploit this weakness. The remote nature of the attack means that malicious actors could potentially deliver payloads through legitimate-looking RAR files without requiring physical access to target systems. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for RAR file manipulation and represents a critical failure in the defensive security stack that could enable advanced persistent threats to establish footholds within networks.
The relationship between CVE-2008-0910 and CVE-2008-0792 suggests a broader pattern of weaknesses in F-Secure's archive handling capabilities, indicating that multiple vulnerabilities may exist within the same codebase or implementation approach. This connection highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing for archive processing functions, as these components often serve as attack vectors due to their complex nature and the variety of formats they must support. Organizations should consider the broader implications of such vulnerabilities when evaluating anti-virus solutions and should implement layered security approaches that do not rely solely on signature-based detection methods. The vulnerability underscores the need for regular security updates and the importance of maintaining current threat intelligence to address gaps in anti-virus protection mechanisms.