CVE-2017-17795 in Ikarus
Summary
by MITRE
In IKARUS Anti-Virus 2.16.20, the driver file (ntguard.SYS) allows local users to cause a denial of service (BSOD) or possibly have unspecified other impact because of not validating input values from IOCtl 0x83000088.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17795 resides within the IKARUS Anti-Virus software version 2.16.20, specifically within its ntguard.SYS driver component. This driver serves as a critical system-level protection mechanism that interfaces directly with the Windows kernel through device control operations. The flaw manifests when the driver fails to properly validate input parameters received through IOCTL (Input/Output Control) command 0x83000088, creating a potential attack surface that can be exploited by local malicious actors. The vulnerability represents a classic example of insufficient input validation, which is categorized under CWE-20, "Improper Input Validation," and falls within the broader scope of kernel-mode security flaws that can have severe operational consequences.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the kernel level where the ntguard.SYS driver processes incoming IOCTL requests without adequate sanitization of the input data. When a local user crafts a malicious IOCTL request with malformed or unexpected parameter values for command 0x83000088, the driver's processing logic fails to validate these inputs properly. This lack of validation leads to potential memory corruption or unexpected behavior within the kernel space, ultimately resulting in system instability. The vulnerability can manifest as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) due to kernel crashes, or potentially enable more sophisticated attacks that could escalate privileges or allow arbitrary code execution. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk because local users typically have elevated privileges within their own system environment, making exploitation relatively straightforward.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-17795 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass potential privilege escalation and system compromise. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," where an attacker can leverage kernel-level flaws to gain elevated system privileges. System administrators and security professionals must recognize that this vulnerability can be exploited by malicious users who are already present on the system, potentially transforming a simple local account into a system-level compromise. The BSOD impact directly affects system availability and can be used as a persistent denial of service mechanism. Additionally, the unspecified other impacts mentioned in the description suggest potential for more severe consequences including data corruption, privilege escalation, or even remote code execution if the system architecture allows for such exploitation paths.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17795 should prioritize immediate software updates from the vendor, as the vulnerability affects a specific version of the IKARUS Anti-Virus software. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all systems running affected software receive the necessary security updates. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact of local exploitation, while monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity can provide early detection of attempted exploitation. Security teams should consider implementing kernel-mode protection mechanisms and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar input validation flaws in other system drivers. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in kernel-mode drivers and serves as a reminder that even security software can contain exploitable flaws that require careful scrutiny and timely remediation.