CVE-2016-1372 in ClamAV
Summary
by MITRE
ClamAV (aka Clam AntiVirus) before 0.99.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted 7z file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2022
ClamAV represents a widely deployed open-source antivirus engine that serves as a critical component in email filtering, file scanning, and endpoint protection across enterprise environments. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1372 specifically targets the 7z file format handling within ClamAV's decompression and analysis routines. This flaw exists in versions prior to 0.99.2 and demonstrates how archive format parsing can introduce significant security risks when proper input validation and error handling mechanisms are absent. The vulnerability stems from inadequate boundary checking and memory management during the processing of maliciously crafted 7z archives that exploit buffer overflows or stack corruption scenarios.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when ClamAV attempts to parse a specially constructed 7z file that contains malformed or oversized data structures within its compression headers. The application fails to properly validate the size parameters and structural integrity of the 7z archive, leading to memory corruption that ultimately results in an application crash or segmentation fault. This behavior aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which addresses heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The vulnerability can be triggered remotely through file upload mechanisms or network-based scanning operations where ClamAV processes untrusted archive files.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1372 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the availability of critical security infrastructure. Organizations relying on ClamAV for email filtering, file system scanning, or network intrusion detection may experience complete service outages when malicious actors exploit this vulnerability. The denial of service condition can be particularly damaging in high-availability environments where continuous protection is required, as it may lead to bypassed security controls or temporary gaps in threat detection. This vulnerability also represents a potential vector for attackers to test system resilience or conduct reconnaissance activities to identify vulnerable ClamAV deployments within target networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate deployment of ClamAV version 0.99.2 or later, which includes proper input validation and memory management fixes for 7z archive processing. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all ClamAV instances are updated promptly. Additional protective measures include deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious file upload patterns, implementing file type filtering to restrict 7z archive processing, and maintaining regular security assessments of antivirus infrastructure. The remediation process should also incorporate monitoring for unusual application crash patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, aligning with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's defensive measures for process injection and execution techniques. Organizations should consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for suspicious file analysis and maintain detailed logging of antivirus processing activities to detect potential exploitation attempts.