CVE-2017-16948 in Vir.IT eXplorer Lite
Summary
by MITRE
TG Soft Vir.IT eXplorer Lite 8.5.42 allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a NULL value in a 0x82730008 DeviceIoControl request to \\.\Viragtlt.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/10/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16948 resides within TG Soft Vir.IT eXplorer Lite version 8.5.42, a security tool designed for malware detection and analysis. This particular flaw manifests as a NULL pointer dereference condition that occurs when the software processes DeviceIoControl requests directed at the \\.\Viragtlt device interface. The vulnerability represents a classic software defect that can be exploited by local attackers to disrupt system operations or potentially achieve more severe consequences.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the software's handling of a specific DeviceIoControl request with the control code 0x82730008. When a NULL value is passed as part of this request, the application fails to properly validate the input parameters before attempting to dereference a pointer that contains a NULL value. This NULL pointer dereference constitutes a fundamental programming error that violates secure coding practices and can lead to application crashes or system instability. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-476 as NULL Pointer Dereference, which is a well-documented weakness in software development that occurs when a program attempts to access a memory location through a pointer that has not been initialized to a valid address.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the description indicates potential for unspecified other impacts. Local users who can submit malicious DeviceIoControl requests to the Viragtlt device can cause the application to crash, resulting in a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate users from utilizing the malware scanning functionality. The unspecified other impacts suggest that this vulnerability could potentially be leveraged for privilege escalation or information disclosure, though the specific exploitation vectors remain unclear without additional analysis. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1489 for Service Stop, as it can be used to disrupt system services and potentially gain unauthorized access to system resources.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires local system access and knowledge of the specific device interface and control codes used by the Vir.IT eXplorer Lite software. Attackers can craft malicious DeviceIoControl requests that pass NULL values, causing the application to crash when it attempts to process these requests. The vulnerability affects only the local system where the software is installed, as the exploitation requires direct access to the device interface. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where legacy security tools are still in use. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and error handling in system-level software components that interact with device drivers and kernel-mode operations. The recommended mitigations include updating to a patched version of the software, implementing proper access controls to limit local user privileges, and conducting regular security assessments of legacy security tools that may contain unpatched vulnerabilities. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for any unauthorized access attempts to device interfaces and implement network segmentation to limit potential exploitation vectors.