CVE-2014-9920 in McAfee Application Control
Summary
by MITRE
Unauthorized execution of binary vulnerability in McAfee (now Intel Security) McAfee Application Control (MAC) 6.0.0 before hotfix 9726, 6.0.1 before hotfix 9068, 6.1.0 before hotfix 692, 6.1.1 before hotfix 399, 6.1.2 before hotfix 426, and 6.1.3 before hotfix 357 and earlier allows attackers to create a malformed Windows binary that is considered non-executable and is not protected through the whitelisting protection feature via a specific set of circumstances.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9920 represents a critical weakness in McAfee Application Control (now Intel Security) software that fundamentally undermines the core security mechanism of whitelisting protection. This flaw exists within MAC versions 6.0.0 through 6.1.3 across multiple release branches, specifically affecting systems that have not applied the corresponding hotfixes. The vulnerability operates through a sophisticated manipulation of binary execution contexts that bypasses the intended security controls designed to prevent unauthorized code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a specific condition where attackers can craft malformed Windows binary files that appear non-executable to the system but can still be executed through the application control mechanisms. This occurs due to insufficient validation of binary attributes during the execution decision process within the whitelisting framework. The flaw allows for the creation of binary files that exploit a gap in the validation logic, enabling execution of code that should have been blocked by the security policy enforcement. This represents a classic bypass vulnerability where the security controls fail to properly validate the integrity and execution context of files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a method to circumvent application control policies that are typically considered robust defenses against malware and unauthorized software execution. Organizations relying on McAfee Application Control for endpoint protection face significant risk of persistent threats that can establish footholds within their networks, potentially leading to data exfiltration, lateral movement, and system compromise. The vulnerability affects the fundamental trust model of the application control system, where legitimate security policies become ineffective against specifically crafted malicious binaries.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-250, which addresses "Execution of Code with Unintended Privilge" and demonstrates how improper access control can lead to unauthorized execution. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a technique for privilege escalation and persistence through the use of application control bypass methods. The vulnerability also connects to broader concepts of binary exploitation and control flow hijacking that attackers utilize to circumvent modern security mechanisms. Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided hotfixes to remediate this issue, as the vulnerability allows for complete bypass of the whitelisting protection that forms the core security posture of the affected McAfee Application Control implementations.
The remediation process requires systematic application of the specific hotfixes mentioned in the vulnerability description for each affected version, ensuring that all systems running McAfee Application Control are updated to versions that properly validate binary execution contexts. Security teams must also conduct comprehensive assessments of their existing security policies and monitoring procedures to identify any potential exploitation attempts that may have occurred prior to patching. This vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls and demonstrates how even sophisticated application control systems can contain fundamental flaws that allow for complete bypass of their protective mechanisms.