CVE-2011-1054 in IDA
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the PEF input file loader in Hex-Rays IDA Pro 5.7 and 6.0 has unknown impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2015
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1054 resides within the PEF input file loader component of Hex-Rays IDA Pro versions 5.7 and 6.0, representing a critical security flaw that affects reverse engineering and malware analysis environments. This issue falls under the category of unspecified vulnerability, indicating that the exact technical nature of the flaw remains undocumented in the initial CVE description, though it pertains to the processing of PEF (PowerPC Executable Format) files within the IDA Pro disassembly environment. The PEF format is commonly used for PowerPC-based executables, particularly in embedded systems and legacy applications, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for security researchers and analysts working with such platforms.
The technical flaw manifests during the file loading process when IDA Pro attempts to parse and interpret PEF input files, suggesting that the vulnerability likely involves improper input validation, memory handling, or buffer management within the loader module. This type of vulnerability typically presents a risk of arbitrary code execution or system compromise when a maliciously crafted PEF file is processed by the affected software. The unspecified nature of the impact and attack vectors indicates that the vulnerability could potentially enable various exploit techniques including stack overflows, heap corruption, or other memory corruption issues that would allow attackers to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code within the context of the IDA Pro application.
From an operational standpoint, the vulnerability poses significant risks to security professionals and organizations relying on IDA Pro for malware analysis, vulnerability research, and reverse engineering tasks. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes, potentially allowing adversaries to compromise analyst workstations when processing untrusted PEF files, which could occur during malware analysis or when examining suspicious executables. This vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of reverse engineering environments where analysts frequently encounter unknown or potentially malicious code samples, creating a dangerous scenario where the very tools used for security research could become attack vectors. The threat landscape is particularly concerning given that IDA Pro is widely used in both commercial and government security organizations, meaning that exploitation of this vulnerability could have widespread implications across multiple security domains.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-1054 should prioritize immediate software updates and patches from Hex-Rays, as the vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the file processing mechanism that cannot be effectively addressed through configuration changes alone. Organizations should implement strict file validation procedures for PEF files, including sandboxing and automated analysis environments, before processing any untrusted executables. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and potentially CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities, both of which are common in file parsing components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could enable techniques categorized under T1059 for command and control, and T1070 for indicator removal, as attackers might use the compromised IDA Pro environment to manipulate analysis results or hide malicious activities. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running vulnerable IDA Pro versions, while monitoring for anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts against the reverse engineering environment.