CVE-2010-1425 in F-Secure
Summary
by MITRE
F-Secure Internet Security 2010 and earlier; Anti-Virus for Microsoft Exchange 9 and earlier, and for MIMEsweeper 5.61 and earlier; Internet Gatekeeper for Windows 6.61 and earlier, and for Linux 4.02 and earlier; Anti-Virus 2010 and earlier; Home Server Security 2009; Protection Service for Consumers 9 and earlier, for Business - Workstation security 9 and earlier, for Business - Server Security 8 and earlier, and for E-mail and Server security 9 and earlier; Mac Protection build 8060 and earlier; Client Security 9 and earlier; and various Anti-Virus products for Windows, Linux, and Citrix; does not properly detect malware in crafted (1) 7Z, (2) GZIP, (3) CAB, or (4) RAR archives, which makes it easier for remote attackers to avoid detection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical flaw in multiple F-Secure security products that affects the detection capabilities of archive file formats including 7Z, GZIP, CAB, and RAR. The issue stems from insufficient archive parsing mechanisms that fail to properly identify malicious content within these compressed file formats, creating a significant bypass opportunity for threat actors. The vulnerability impacts a wide range of F-Secure products spanning desktop, server, email, and mobile platforms, making it particularly concerning given the extensive deployment of these security solutions across enterprise and consumer environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and specifically relates to archive unpacking and content inspection failures. Attackers can craft malicious archives using these four file formats that will evade detection by the affected security products, allowing malware to bypass traditional security controls. This weakness operates at the intersection of archive handling and malware detection, where the security product's ability to decompress and analyze archive contents becomes compromised. The flaw likely resides in the decompression logic or file signature recognition mechanisms that fail to properly validate or scan the contents of these specific archive types.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations relying on F-Secure products for malware protection. The impact extends beyond individual system compromises to potentially affect entire network infrastructures, especially in environments where email security and server protection are critical. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is heightened by the widespread use of these archive formats in phishing campaigns, social engineering attacks, and malware distribution. Security teams face the challenge of maintaining confidence in their protection systems while dealing with this detection gap that could allow malicious payloads to remain undetected for extended periods.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of all affected F-Secure products, implementing additional layers of security controls, and conducting thorough vulnerability assessments of their current security infrastructure. Network monitoring and behavioral analysis should be enhanced to detect anomalous activities that might indicate successful exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include verification of all affected products across different platforms including Windows, Linux, and Citrix environments. Security administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and additional email filtering measures to reduce the attack surface. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper archive handling in security solutions and the potential consequences when such fundamental security controls fail to function correctly.