CVE-2014-2779 in Malware Protection Engine
Summary
by MITRE
mpengine.dll in Microsoft Malware Protection Engine before 1.1.10701.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (system hang) via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2779 resides within the mpengine.dll component of Microsoft Malware Protection Engine, a critical security module that serves as the core antivirus engine for Windows Defender and various Microsoft security products. This particular flaw affects versions prior to 1.1.10701.0, representing a significant weakness in the defensive infrastructure that protects millions of Windows systems worldwide. The vulnerability manifests as a denial of service condition that can cause system hangs, effectively rendering the affected systems unresponsive and potentially disrupting critical business operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the malware scanning engine's file processing routines. When the mpengine.dll component encounters a specially crafted file during the scanning process, it fails to properly handle the malformed input, leading to a system hang condition. This represents a classic buffer over-read or improper state handling issue that falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability category, which deals with out-of-bounds read conditions. The flaw occurs during the analysis phase where the engine attempts to parse and evaluate file characteristics, particularly when encountering unexpected or malformed file structures that it cannot properly process.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to enterprise environments where Windows Defender serves as the primary antivirus solution or where the affected engine is integrated into other Microsoft security products. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious files that, when scanned by the vulnerable engine, will cause system hangs and potentially create denial of service conditions across multiple endpoints. The impact extends beyond individual system compromise as it can affect entire network infrastructures, particularly in environments where automated scanning processes are prevalent. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks, and demonstrates how legitimate security tools can be weaponized to disrupt system availability.
The exploitation of CVE-2014-2779 requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on automated security scanning. The vulnerability does not require authentication or elevated privileges, and the attack surface is broad since any file processed by the affected engine could potentially trigger the condition. Organizations using Microsoft security products that depend on this engine for real-time protection are at risk, including those running Windows Server environments, endpoint protection platforms, and any system where Windows Defender is enabled. The remediation strategy involves updating to Microsoft Malware Protection Engine version 1.1.10701.0 or later, which incorporates proper input validation and error handling mechanisms to prevent the system hang condition from occurring.
Microsoft addressed this vulnerability through a security update that modified the file parsing logic within the mpengine.dll component to properly handle malformed input structures. The fix implements additional validation checks and error recovery mechanisms that prevent the engine from entering an unrecoverable state when processing crafted files. This remediation approach aligns with security best practices for preventing similar vulnerabilities in security scanning engines, emphasizing the importance of robust input validation and defensive programming techniques. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability as it represents a critical threat to system availability and can be leveraged as part of broader attack campaigns targeting network stability and operational continuity. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and the potential risks associated with relying on legacy security components that may contain unpatched vulnerabilities.