CVE-2016-8007 in McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention Services
Summary
by MITRE
Authentication bypass vulnerability in McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention Services (HIPS) 8.0 Patch 7 and earlier allows authenticated users to manipulate the product's registry keys via specific conditions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2020
The CVE-2016-8007 vulnerability represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention Services version 8.0 Patch 7 and earlier installations. This vulnerability specifically targets the registry key manipulation capabilities of the security product, allowing authenticated users to exploit weaknesses in the system's access control mechanisms. The flaw exists in the way the HIPS service handles registry modifications, creating opportunities for privilege escalation and unauthorized system access that could compromise the integrity of the entire security infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of registry key modifications within the McAfee HIPS framework. When authenticated users interact with the system, they can manipulate specific registry entries that control access permissions and security policies. This occurs due to inadequate input sanitization and privilege validation checks that should normally prevent unauthorized modifications to critical system components. The vulnerability operates at the system level where registry keys control security policies, allowing attackers to alter access controls and potentially disable security features. This flaw aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control vulnerabilities, and demonstrates how registry manipulation can lead to privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8007 extends beyond simple access control bypass, as it can enable attackers to completely subvert the security posture of systems protected by McAfee HIPS. Once exploited, authenticated users can manipulate security policies, disable protection mechanisms, and potentially gain elevated privileges within the system. The vulnerability creates persistent access vectors that could remain undetected for extended periods, allowing attackers to maintain control over compromised systems while evading detection by other security controls. This represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where HIPS is used as a primary defense mechanism against intrusion attempts, as the vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions of the system.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official McAfee patches and updates. The recommended mitigation strategy involves applying the latest security patches provided by McAfee, which address the registry key validation issues and strengthen access control mechanisms. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring for unusual registry modifications and establish baseline configurations that can detect unauthorized changes to security-related registry entries. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and ensure that all systems running McAfee HIPS are updated to versions that contain the necessary security fixes. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security software versions and implementing layered security approaches that do not rely solely on a single protection mechanism.