CVE-2008-6661 in Bitdefender Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple integer overflows in the scanning engine in Bitdefender for Linux 7.60825 and earlier allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a malformed (1) NeoLite and (2) ASProtect packed PE file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6661 affects Bitdefender for Linux versions 7.60825 and earlier, specifically targeting the scanning engine's handling of packed executable files. This issue stems from multiple integer overflows that occur during the analysis of maliciously crafted files, creating a significant security risk for systems running this antivirus software. The vulnerability manifests when the scanner encounters specially crafted NeoLite and ASProtect packed PE files that contain malformed data structures designed to exploit the integer overflow conditions within the Bitdefender scanning engine.
The technical flaw resides in the improper validation and handling of integer values during the parsing of packed executable files. When the Bitdefender scanner processes these malformed files, the integer overflows can lead to unpredictable behavior within the memory management subsystem. These overflows typically occur when the scanner attempts to allocate memory or perform calculations based on corrupted file headers or metadata that have been deliberately crafted to exceed normal integer limits. The vulnerability affects the core scanning engine functionality and represents a critical weakness in the input validation mechanisms that should normally protect against malformed data processing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enabling remote code execution capabilities. Attackers can exploit this weakness to crash the Bitdefender service, causing a denial of service that disrupts security protection on affected systems. More critically, the integer overflow conditions can be manipulated to overwrite memory locations, potentially allowing for arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the scanning engine process. This creates a severe threat landscape where attackers could compromise systems running vulnerable Bitdefender versions, particularly in environments where the antivirus service runs with elevated privileges.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions, and demonstrates how such flaws can lead to memory corruption issues. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and execution of malicious code through software exploitation. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Bitdefender is widely deployed across enterprise environments, making this vulnerability a prime target for adversaries seeking to compromise security infrastructure. Organizations running affected versions should immediately implement mitigation strategies including software updates, network segmentation, and enhanced monitoring of antivirus service processes to detect potential exploitation attempts.
Mitigation efforts should prioritize immediate patching of Bitdefender for Linux to version 7.60826 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the integer overflow conditions. System administrators should also implement network-based protections such as intrusion detection systems that monitor for suspicious file scanning patterns and malformed PE file processing. Additionally, organizations should consider temporary disabling of the scanning engine for specific file types or implementing additional sandboxing measures to isolate potentially malicious files before analysis. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in security software, particularly in components that process untrusted data from external sources.