CVE-2016-4329 in Kaspersky
Summary
by MITRE
A local denial of service vulnerability exists in window broadcast message handling functionality of Kaspersky Anti-Virus software. Sending certain unhandled window messages, an attacker can cause application termination and in the same way bypass KAV self-protection mechanism.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-4329 represents a critical local denial of service weakness within Kaspersky Anti-Virus software that stems from improper handling of window broadcast messages. This flaw specifically affects the software's message processing functionality, creating an avenue for attackers to disrupt the normal operation of the security application. The vulnerability manifests when the anti-virus software receives certain unhandled window messages that trigger unexpected application termination, effectively rendering the protection mechanism non-functional.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability falls under the category of improper input handling and lacks proper exception management within the application's message processing loop. The flaw demonstrates a classic buffer overflow or message handling error where the software does not adequately validate or process incoming window broadcast messages, leading to application crashes when encountering malformed or unexpected message types. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios, though the specific manifestation here occurs in the message handling subsystem rather than memory allocation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it specifically targets the self-protection mechanisms of Kaspersky Anti-Virus software. When an attacker successfully triggers this vulnerability, they not only cause the application to terminate but also bypass the software's built-in protection features that are designed to prevent unauthorized modifications or disruptions to the security application itself. This creates a dangerous scenario where an attacker can disable the very protection they are attempting to exploit, effectively creating a sandbox escape condition that undermines the fundamental security posture of the system.
The attack vector for this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it requires only local access to the system, making it accessible to any user with legitimate login credentials. The exploitation process involves sending crafted window messages to the Kaspersky Anti-Virus process, which then fails to handle these messages properly and terminates. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1489, which addresses denial of service attacks. The vulnerability essentially creates a path for privilege escalation through service disruption, as the termination of the security application can leave the system vulnerable to other attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate patching and operational security measures. System administrators should prioritize applying the vendor-provided security updates that address the message handling flaws in the Kaspersky Anti-Virus software. Additionally, implementing process monitoring and alerting mechanisms can help detect unauthorized termination of security services. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced to limit local access to systems running security software, while endpoint detection and response solutions can monitor for suspicious message traffic patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices, particularly in handling inter-process communication and message queues, which should be reviewed and strengthened throughout the software development lifecycle to prevent similar issues from occurring in other security applications.