CVE-2017-16554 in K7
Summary
by MITRE
K7 Antivirus Premium before 15.1.0.53 allows local users to write to arbitrary memory locations, and consequently gain privileges, via a specific set of IOCTL calls.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2019
CVE-2017-16554 represents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability affecting K7 Antivirus Premium versions prior to 15.1.0.53. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the antivirus software's kernel-mode drivers, specifically related to how IOCTL (Input/Output Control) commands are processed. The flaw allows local attackers with standard user privileges to manipulate memory locations through crafted IOCTL requests, potentially enabling them to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level, making it particularly dangerous as it bypasses standard user-mode security boundaries and can lead to complete system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of IOCTL function codes that are typically used for communication between user-mode applications and kernel-mode drivers. When K7 Antivirus processes these IOCTL calls without proper validation of input parameters, attackers can craft malicious requests that cause the driver to write data to arbitrary memory addresses. This memory corruption occurs because the driver fails to validate the size, type, or destination of memory operations, creating a classic buffer overflow scenario that can be exploited to overwrite critical system structures or execute malicious code. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability significantly impacts organizations using affected K7 Antivirus versions as it provides a path for local attackers to escalate privileges from standard user accounts to system-level access. The exploitability of this vulnerability is relatively straightforward, requiring only local access to the system and knowledge of the specific IOCTL interface. Once exploited, the attacker gains the ability to modify system files, install additional malware, or establish persistence mechanisms. This represents a serious concern for enterprise environments where user accounts may be compromised through social engineering or other attack vectors, as the vulnerability provides a reliable method for escalating privileges. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as privilege escalation through kernel-mode exploits, specifically mapping to techniques involving driver manipulation and memory corruption.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-16554 requires immediate patching of K7 Antivirus Premium to version 15.1.0.53 or later, which addresses the improper IOCTL handling and implements proper input validation. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including disabling unnecessary antivirus services, monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity, and maintaining up-to-date threat intelligence feeds. System administrators should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running vulnerable versions and ensure proper access controls are in place to limit local user privileges. Additionally, implementing runtime application control measures and monitoring for anomalous memory access patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in kernel-mode drivers and demonstrates the critical need for proper input validation and memory management in security software components.