CVE-2008-6962 in AntiVir
Summary
by MITRE
Avira AntiVir Premium, Premium Security Suite, AntiVir Professional, and AntiVir Personal - FREE allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a crafted IOCTL request that overwrites a kernel pointer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2018
This vulnerability exists in multiple versions of Avira AntiVir security software including Premium, Premium Security Suite, AntiVir Professional, and AntiVir Personal - FREE editions. The flaw represents a critical kernel-mode privilege escalation vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of IOCTL (Input/Output Control) requests within the kernel-level drivers of the antivirus software, specifically in how the system handles crafted IOCTL commands that manipulate kernel pointers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a buffer overflow or pointer manipulation attack that occurs when the kernel driver processes malformed IOCTL requests. When a local user submits a specially crafted IOCTL request, the system fails to properly validate the input parameters, leading to a situation where kernel memory pointers can be overwritten. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, or more specifically CWE-787, which addresses out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. The flaw allows an attacker to gain unauthorized access to kernel memory space, effectively bypassing user-mode restrictions and elevating privileges to kernel level.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides local users with the capability to execute arbitrary code with the highest system privileges. This means that any user who can run applications on the target system can potentially escalate their privileges to SYSTEM level, enabling them to install malware, modify system files, access sensitive data, or completely compromise the system. The vulnerability affects systems running Windows operating systems where these Avira AntiVir products are installed, particularly those with the affected kernel drivers loaded in memory. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent backdoors, perform data exfiltration, or create additional attack vectors for further compromise.
From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting local privilege escalation vulnerabilities to gain system-level access. The attack surface is relatively narrow as it requires the attacker to already have local access to the system, but the impact is significant due to the privilege escalation capability. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches, disabling unnecessary kernel drivers, and monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity in system logs. Additionally, implementing least privilege principles and maintaining up-to-date security software can help reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in kernel-mode drivers and highlights the need for thorough security testing of system-level components. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions to detect anomalous IOCTL patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.