CVE-2011-5119 in Internet Security
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple race conditions in Comodo Internet Security before 5.8.211697.2124 allow local users to bypass the Defense+ feature via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-5119 represents a critical security flaw within Comodo Internet Security software, specifically affecting versions prior to 5.8.211697.2124. This issue manifests through multiple race conditions that create exploitable timing windows within the application's security mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it directly impacts the Defense+ feature, which serves as a core protective element designed to prevent unauthorized code execution and malicious activity. The race conditions occur during critical system operations where concurrent processes can interfere with each other's execution paths, creating opportunities for privilege escalation and bypass of security controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper synchronization mechanisms within the Comodo Internet Security application. Race conditions typically arise when multiple threads or processes attempt to access shared resources simultaneously without proper locking mechanisms or atomic operations. In this case, the flaw allows local users to manipulate the timing of system calls and process execution to exploit these concurrency issues. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability can be triggered through various attack paths, making it particularly challenging to defend against and potentially more dangerous than a single, well-defined exploitation method. This weakness falls under the broader category of race condition vulnerabilities that are classified as CWE-362 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on Comodo Internet Security for endpoint protection. Local users who can exploit this flaw gain the ability to bypass the Defense+ feature, which typically enforces strict application control and prevents unauthorized software execution. This bypass capability can lead to privilege escalation, allowing attackers to execute malicious code with elevated system privileges. The vulnerability essentially undermines the fundamental security model of the application, as it allows attackers to circumvent the very protections that users rely on for system security. Attackers could potentially use this to install malware, modify system files, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. The local nature of the attack means that exploitation requires only user-level access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might have elevated privileges or where privilege escalation techniques are already in place.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability involves immediate upgrading to Comodo Internet Security version 5.8.211697.2124 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the race condition issues. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring and logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper concurrency control in security applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation'. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments to ensure that all instances of Comodo Internet Security are updated and that appropriate access controls are maintained to limit local user privileges where possible. The remediation process should include verification that the patches have been properly applied and that the Defense+ feature is functioning correctly. Given the nature of race conditions, additional defensive measures such as process monitoring and integrity checking can help detect potential exploitation attempts before they succeed.