CVE-2012-1435 in Virus Utilities T3 Command Line Scanner
Summary
by MITRE
The Microsoft EXE file parser in AhnLab V3 Internet Security 2011.01.18.00, Emsisoft Anti-Malware 5.1.0.1, eSafe 7.0.17.0, Ikarus Virus Utilities T3 Command Line Scanner 1.1.97.0, and Panda Antivirus 10.0.2.7 allows remote attackers to bypass malware detection via an EXE file with a \50\4B\4C\49\54\45 character sequence at a certain location. NOTE: this may later be SPLIT into multiple CVEs if additional information is published showing that the error occurred independently in different EXE parser implementations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-1435 represents a critical flaw in multiple antivirus security products that affects their ability to properly parse and analyze executable files. This issue specifically targets the EXE file parser implementations within various antivirus solutions including AhnLab V3 Internet Security, Emsisoft Anti-Malware, eSafe, Ikarus Virus Utilities, and Panda Antivirus. The vulnerability stems from an insufficient handling of specific character sequences within executable file structures, creating a bypass mechanism that allows malicious code to evade detection.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the presence of a specific character sequence \50\4B\4C\49\54\45, which translates to the ASCII string "PKLITE" in hexadecimal notation. This sequence is typically associated with the PKLITE compression utility, a tool commonly used for compressing executable files. When these antivirus products encounter an EXE file containing this specific sequence at a particular location within the file structure, their parsing logic fails to correctly interpret the file's contents, resulting in improper malware detection. This flaw demonstrates a classic case of improper input validation and file format parsing that falls under CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to craft malicious EXE files that can bypass security measures deployed by organizations using the affected antivirus solutions. This creates a substantial risk for enterprise environments where these security products are actively deployed, as it essentially provides a method for malware authors to evade detection mechanisms that are supposed to protect against malicious software. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it without requiring physical access to target systems, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the Tactic of Defense Evasion, specifically targeting the technique of "Masquerading" and "Obfuscated Files or Information" by exploiting weaknesses in file parsing logic. The flaw represents a critical gap in the security posture of affected organizations, as it allows attackers to leverage legitimate compression utilities to hide malicious code within seemingly benign executable files. This type of vulnerability underscores the importance of proper file format validation and the need for comprehensive testing of security product implementations against various file structures and encoding methods.
The remediation of this vulnerability requires immediate updates and patches from the affected vendors, as well as thorough testing to ensure that the fixes do not introduce regressions in legitimate file processing. Organizations should implement additional layers of security monitoring and consider alternative detection methods such as behavioral analysis and heuristic scanning to compensate for potential gaps in signature-based detection. The vulnerability also highlights the need for continuous security testing and validation of security products, particularly those that rely on complex file parsing logic, as these implementations can contain subtle flaws that significantly impact overall security effectiveness.