CVE-2009-1783 in F-Prot
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple FRISK Software F-Prot anti-virus products, including Antivirus for Exchange, Linux on IBM zSeries, Linux x86 File Servers, Linux x86 Mail Servers, Linux x86 Workstations, Solaris Mail Servers, Antivirus for Windows, and others, allow remote attackers to bypass malware detection via a crafted CAB archive.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-1783 affects multiple FRISK Software F-Prot anti-virus products across various platforms including Exchange, Linux on IBM zSeries, Linux x86 File Servers, Linux x86 Mail Servers, Linux x86 Workstations, Solaris Mail Servers, and Windows anti-virus solutions. This security flaw represents a significant bypass mechanism that allows remote attackers to evade malware detection capabilities of the affected anti-virus implementations. The vulnerability specifically manifests through crafted CAB archive files that exploit weaknesses in the anti-virus scanning mechanisms, enabling malicious code to slip through security controls undetected. The impact extends across multiple operating systems and server configurations, making this a widespread concern for organizations relying on F-Prot solutions for endpoint protection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of CAB archive files within the F-Prot anti-virus scanning engine. CAB archives are Microsoft's compressed archive format commonly used for software distribution and system updates. The flaw occurs when the anti-virus software fails to properly validate or process these archive files, allowing specially crafted malicious content within the CAB structure to bypass signature-based detection mechanisms. This weakness in archive processing represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and sanitization, which falls under CWE-20 - Improper Input Validation. The vulnerability demonstrates how archive extraction and content scanning routines can be manipulated to circumvent security controls through malformed or specially constructed archive files.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations using affected F-Prot anti-virus products as it allows attackers to deliver malware payloads that would normally be detected by standard anti-virus scanning processes. The remote attack vector means that malicious actors can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access to target systems, potentially enabling widespread malware deployment across networks. The impact is particularly severe given that the affected products cover critical server environments including Exchange servers and mail servers, which are prime targets for enterprise attacks. This vulnerability essentially undermines the core purpose of anti-virus software by allowing malicious code to execute undetected in environments where security controls should be most robust. The attack could potentially enable data exfiltration, system compromise, and lateral movement within affected networks.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by FRISK Software to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing additional network monitoring and anomaly detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The mitigation strategy should include disabling unnecessary archive processing capabilities where possible and implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify systems running affected F-Prot versions and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: Visual Basic, as it allows for the execution of malicious code that bypasses traditional detection mechanisms, potentially enabling further exploitation through command execution capabilities. The broader implications suggest that organizations should review their overall anti-virus strategy and consider implementing multi-layered security approaches that do not rely solely on signature-based detection methods.