CVE-2016-1715 in McAfee Application Control
Summary
by MITRE
The swin.sys kernel driver in McAfee Application Control (MAC) 6.1.0 before build 706, 6.1.1 before build 404, 6.1.2 before build 449, 6.1.3 before build 441, and 6.2.0 before build 505 on 32-bit Windows platforms allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and system crash) or gain privileges via a 768 syscall, which triggers a zero to be written to an arbitrary kernel memory location.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1715 represents a critical kernel-mode privilege escalation and denial of service flaw within McAfee Application Control version 6.1.0 through 6.2.0 on 32-bit Windows systems. This issue resides in the swin.sys kernel driver component that handles system calls for application control functionality. The vulnerability manifests when a local attacker executes a specific 768 syscall that triggers an improper memory handling mechanism within the kernel driver, leading to potentially catastrophic system consequences.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the swin.sys driver's syscall handling routine. When the 768 syscall is invoked, the driver fails to properly validate memory addresses before writing data to kernel space, creating an opportunity for arbitrary memory corruption. This memory corruption vulnerability allows attackers to write a zero value to any arbitrary kernel memory location, effectively enabling both privilege escalation and system instability. The flaw specifically affects 32-bit Windows platforms and impacts all versions of McAfee Application Control within the specified ranges, making it particularly concerning given the widespread deployment of these security products in enterprise environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise. Local attackers with minimal privileges can leverage this flaw to escalate their privileges to kernel level, potentially gaining complete system control. The memory corruption aspect can also cause system crashes and reboots, creating availability issues that may persist until the affected system is rebooted or the vulnerable driver is unloaded. This dual nature of the vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited for both disruptive attacks and persistent system compromise, with potential implications for enterprise security infrastructure where McAfee Application Control is commonly deployed.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including patching to the latest available versions of McAfee Application Control, disabling the vulnerable swin.sys driver if not required, and implementing additional endpoint protection measures. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, privilege escalation through local exploitation. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring for suspicious syscall patterns and kernel memory access attempts. Given the nature of kernel-level vulnerabilities, comprehensive system integrity verification and network segmentation measures should be implemented to limit potential lateral movement if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper kernel driver security practices and input validation in enterprise security products.