CVE-2016-2210 in Endpoint Protection
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Dec2LHA.dll in the AntiVirus Decomposer engine in Symantec Advanced Threat Protection (ATP); Symantec Data Center Security:Server (SDCS:S) 6.x through 6.6 MP1; Symantec Web Gateway; Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) before 12.1 RU6 MP5; Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) for Mac; Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) for Linux before 12.1 RU6 MP5; Symantec Protection Engine (SPE) before 7.0.5 HF01, 7.5.x before 7.5.3 HF03, 7.5.4 before HF01, and 7.8.0 before HF01; Symantec Protection for SharePoint Servers (SPSS) 6.0.3 through 6.0.5 before 6.0.5 HF 1.5 and 6.0.6 before HF 1.6; Symantec Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange (SMSMSE) before 7.0_3966002 HF1.1 and 7.5.x before 7.5_3966008 VHF1.2; Symantec Mail Security for Domino (SMSDOM) before 8.0.9 HF1.1 and 8.1.x before 8.1.3 HF1.2; CSAPI before 10.0.4 HF01; Symantec Message Gateway (SMG) before 10.6.1-4; Symantec Message Gateway for Service Providers (SMG-SP) 10.5 before patch 254 and 10.6 before patch 253; Norton AntiVirus, Norton Security, Norton Internet Security, and Norton 360 before NGC 22.7; Norton Security for Mac before 13.0.2; Norton Power Eraser (NPE) before 5.1; and Norton Bootable Removal Tool (NBRT) before 2016.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the Dec2LHA.dll component of Symantec's security infrastructure, specifically within the AntiVirus Decomposer engine that processes various file formats for threat detection. The flaw exists in multiple Symantec products including Advanced Threat Protection, Data Center Security Server, Web Gateway, Endpoint Protection for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms, as well as various protection engines and mail security solutions. The vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking during the decompression process of LHA (LHA is a file archiving format) compressed files, allowing attackers to craft malicious files that trigger memory corruption when processed by the vulnerable components.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when the Dec2LHA.dll library handles specially crafted LHA archives containing oversized data structures or malformed headers that exceed the allocated buffer space. This condition creates a situation where data written beyond the intended buffer boundaries can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow or allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects multiple product lines across different operating systems and deployment scenarios, indicating a fundamental flaw in the decompression engine architecture that was not properly addressed across the entire Symantec security portfolio.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to compromise systems running vulnerable Symantec products without requiring authentication or physical access. Attackers can exploit this weakness by delivering maliciously crafted files through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or file transfers, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these security products are deployed across multiple endpoints and network infrastructure. The widespread nature of affected products means that organizations may have multiple points of exposure within their security infrastructure, potentially allowing attackers to gain elevated privileges or establish persistent access to critical systems.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating all affected Symantec products to their latest patches, with particular attention to Endpoint Protection versions before 12.1 RU6 MP5, Protection Engine versions before specified hotfixes, and various mail security and gateway solutions. System administrators should implement network-based protections such as email filtering and file scanning to prevent delivery of malicious files, while also considering temporary disabling of decompression functionality for untrusted file types. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a typical attack pattern categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution, as successful exploitation would likely enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected security service. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in security software, as the flaw essentially allows attackers to bypass the very security mechanisms designed to protect systems from malicious content.