CVE-2010-2305 in Sygate Personal Firewall
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in an ActiveX control in SSHelper.dll for Symantec Sygate Personal Firewall 5.6 build 2808 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long third argument to the SetRegString method.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2305 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Symantec Sygate Personal Firewall 5.6 build 2808 ActiveX control library SSHelper.dll. This issue stems from improper input validation within the SetRegString method, which fails to adequately check the length of the third argument provided during method invocation. The buffer overflow occurs when an attacker supplies an excessively long string parameter that exceeds the allocated buffer space, leading to memory corruption and potential code execution privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability leverages the inherent characteristics of ActiveX controls within Microsoft Windows environments, where the SSHelper.dll component operates with elevated privileges due to its integration with system-level firewall functionality. When the SetRegString method processes the third argument without proper bounds checking, it allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data structures. This memory corruption enables remote attackers to manipulate program execution flow and potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the targeted application, typically the firewall service or system processes running with administrative rights.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise, particularly when the affected ActiveX control is deployed in web browsers or other environments where users might inadvertently interact with malicious content. Attackers can craft specially crafted web pages or documents that trigger the vulnerable method when loaded, exploiting the buffer overflow to gain unauthorized access to systems. The vulnerability affects the broader cybersecurity landscape by demonstrating how legacy firewall implementations with ActiveX components can introduce significant attack vectors that persist even after the initial product lifecycle ends. Organizations running affected versions of Symantec Sygate Personal Firewall face potential data breaches, privilege escalation attacks, and complete system takeovers when this vulnerability is successfully exploited.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2305 focus primarily on immediate patching and remediation efforts, as Symantec has released updates to address the buffer overflow issue in subsequent versions of their firewall software. System administrators should disable or remove the vulnerable SSHelper.dll ActiveX control from browser environments where possible, and implement application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted ActiveX components. Network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation by restricting lateral movement within compromised networks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and corresponds to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and code execution through compromised system components. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring and intrusion detection systems to identify anomalous patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability. Given the age of the affected product, organizations are strongly advised to migrate to modern endpoint protection solutions that do not rely on deprecated ActiveX technologies and provide more robust security controls against such memory corruption vulnerabilities.