CVE-2016-8009 in McAfee Application Control
Summary
by MITRE
Privilege escalation vulnerability in Intel Security McAfee Application Control (MAC) 7.0 and 6.x versions allows attackers to cause DoS, unexpected behavior, or potentially unauthorized code execution via an unauthorized use of IOCTL call.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8009 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Intel Security McAfee Application Control versions 6.x and 7.0. This security weakness specifically targets the kernel-mode driver component of the application control system, which is designed to enforce security policies and prevent unauthorized software execution. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the driver's implementation, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's security boundaries. The affected software operates at the highest privilege level within the Windows operating system, making any vulnerability in its kernel components particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to gain complete system control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper handling of IOCTL (Input/Output Control) calls within the McAfee Application Control driver. IOCTL calls serve as the primary communication interface between user-mode applications and kernel-mode drivers in Windows systems, allowing applications to request specific operations from device drivers. In this case, the vulnerability exists because the driver fails to properly validate the parameters and access rights associated with incoming IOCTL requests. Attackers can craft malicious IOCTL calls that bypass normal access controls, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. This flaw aligns with CWE-264, which describes "Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls" weaknesses, and specifically demonstrates how insufficient access control validation can lead to privilege escalation scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can lead to complete system compromise and persistent access for attackers. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability allows unauthorized code execution at the kernel level, which means attackers can bypass all standard Windows security mechanisms including User Access Control, Windows Defender, and other security software. The potential for denial of service exists as attackers could manipulate the driver to cause system crashes or unexpected behavior, but the more serious concern is the possibility of establishing persistent backdoors or installing additional malware. This vulnerability affects organizations that rely heavily on application control policies, as it undermines the very security measures designed to protect against malicious software execution, creating a dangerous situation where the security solution becomes the attack vector.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including patching the software to the latest available versions, which address the IOCTL validation issues in the kernel driver. System administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity and access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and access control mechanisms in kernel-mode drivers, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. Security teams should also review their application control policies to ensure that only authorized processes can interact with the McAfee driver, and implement process monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing kernel-level privilege escalation vulnerabilities.