CVE-2008-4510 in Windows-nt
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Windows Vista Home and Ultimate Edition SP1 and earlier allows local users to cause a denial of service (page fault and system crash) via multiple attempts to access a virtual address in a PAGE_NOACCESS memory page.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2024
This vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows Vista Home and Ultimate Edition versions prior to Service Pack 1, representing a critical memory management flaw that enables local attackers to trigger system crashes through deliberate manipulation of virtual memory access patterns. The issue stems from improper handling of memory page access violations within the kernel-level memory management subsystem, specifically when multiple processes attempt to access memory regions marked with PAGE_NOACCESS protection flags. When these access attempts occur repeatedly, the system's memory manager fails to properly validate the access patterns, leading to page fault exceptions that ultimately result in system instability and complete crash conditions.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the exploitation of memory protection mechanisms designed to prevent unauthorized access to protected memory regions. In Windows operating systems, PAGE_NOACCESS memory pages are explicitly marked to prevent any form of access attempts, serving as a fundamental security boundary. However, the vulnerability manifests when the kernel's memory management handler does not properly validate access attempts to these protected regions, particularly when multiple rapid access attempts are made. This flaw falls under the CWE-129 category of Improper Validation of Array Index, though more specifically relates to memory access violations and improper exception handling within the kernel's virtual memory management subsystem. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1490 - Inhibit System Recovery, as it specifically targets system stability and availability through memory corruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can be leveraged by local attackers to create persistent system instability that may require manual intervention or system reboot to resolve. Attackers can repeatedly attempt to access the same protected memory page, causing the system to continuously generate page fault exceptions that eventually overwhelm the memory management subsystem. This creates a scenario where legitimate system processes may be disrupted, potentially leading to data loss or corruption of running applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no elevated privileges to exploit, making it accessible to any local user account, and the effects are immediate and severe enough to cause complete system crashes without any warning or graceful degradation of service.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper memory access validation and exception handling within the kernel-level memory management components. Microsoft addressed this issue through Service Pack 1 and subsequent updates that enhanced the memory manager's ability to properly handle access violations to protected memory regions. System administrators should ensure that all Windows Vista installations are updated to the latest service pack and security patches, as the vulnerability remains exploitable in unpatched systems. Additional defensive measures include implementing memory protection monitoring tools that can detect anomalous access patterns and configuring system auditing to track memory access violations. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting and privilege separation techniques to limit the potential impact of local users who might attempt to exploit this vulnerability, as the ATT&CK framework suggests that such vulnerabilities are often used in combination with other techniques to achieve broader system compromise objectives.