CVE-2010-4260 in ClamAV
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in pdf.c in libclamav in ClamAV before 0.96.5 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted PDF document, aka (1) "bb #2358" and (2) "bb #2396."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4260 represents a critical security flaw within the ClamAV antivirus software suite, specifically affecting the libclamav library component. This issue manifests in the pdf.c file which processes PDF documents during malware scanning operations. The vulnerability affects ClamAV versions prior to 0.96.5, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on this antivirus solution for threat detection. The flaw enables remote attackers to exploit the software through specially crafted PDF files, potentially leading to system compromise or service disruption.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory handling within the PDF parsing functionality of ClamAV's libclamav library. When processing malformed or maliciously constructed PDF documents, the pdf.c module fails to properly handle certain data structures, leading to buffer overflows, memory corruption, or other exploitable conditions. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" and potentially CWE-787 "Out-of-bounds Write" as described in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it occurs during routine antivirus scanning operations when PDF files are encountered, making it highly exploitable in real-world scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-4260 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution on affected systems. Attackers can craft PDF documents that trigger the vulnerability when scanned by ClamAV, resulting in application crashes that may be used for denial of service attacks or could potentially be leveraged for privilege escalation. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1203 "Exploitation for Client Execution" indicates its potential use in broader attack chains. Organizations using ClamAV for email filtering, network scanning, or endpoint protection face significant risk as these malicious PDF files could bypass security controls and compromise systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4260 primarily involve immediate patching of ClamAV installations to version 0.96.5 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the PDF parsing vulnerabilities. System administrators should also implement additional protective measures including PDF file scanning restrictions, network segmentation to limit exposure, and enhanced monitoring for unusual scanning behavior or application crashes. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security updates and the need for robust input validation in security software. Organizations should also consider implementing alternative PDF processing mechanisms or using additional security layers to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other components of their security infrastructure. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and the potential consequences of failing to address known vulnerabilities in antivirus and security solutions.