CVE-2017-17796 in Vir.IT eXplorer Lite
Summary
by MITRE
In TG Soft Vir.IT eXplorer Lite 8.5.65, the driver file (VIRAGTLT.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 0x827300A4.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17796 resides within TG Soft Vir.IT eXplorer Lite version 8.5.65, specifically within its kernel-mode driver component VIRAGTLT.SYS. This driver operates at the highest privilege level within the Windows operating system, making it a critical component that requires stringent security controls. The vulnerability manifests through improper input validation mechanisms within the driver's handling of IOCTL (Input/Output Control) requests, specifically targeting the control code 0x827300A4. The absence of adequate validation allows malicious or unintended input values to be processed without proper sanitization, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by local adversaries.
The technical flaw represents a classic buffer over-read and input validation failure that falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-707, which covers improper neutralization of special elements. When the driver receives an IOCTL request with the specified control code, it fails to validate the parameters provided by the calling process, particularly those related to input data structures. This lack of validation creates opportunities for arbitrary code execution or system instability, as the driver processes potentially malicious data without proper bounds checking or type verification. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the kernel context, meaning any successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as evidenced by the potential for unspecified other impacts mentioned in the CVE description. Local users who can execute code on the target system can leverage this vulnerability to trigger a blue screen of death (BSOD) or potentially achieve privilege escalation. The BSOD occurs because the driver attempts to access memory locations beyond its allocated boundaries, causing the operating system to terminate and restart to prevent further corruption. However, the unspecified other impacts suggest that the vulnerability might also enable information disclosure, privilege escalation, or other security-relevant behaviors that could be exploited by sophisticated attackers. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through kernel vulnerabilities, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage for exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17796 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. The most effective immediate solution involves updating to a patched version of TG Soft Vir.IT eXplorer Lite, as the vendor has likely addressed the input validation issues in newer releases. System administrators should also implement the principle of least privilege by ensuring that only authorized users can execute the vulnerable driver and by monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity. Additional protective measures include enabling kernel-mode code integrity checks, implementing driver signature enforcement, and deploying application whitelisting solutions to prevent unauthorized driver loading. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in kernel-mode components, as highlighted by the Common Weakness Enumeration standards and the MITRE ATT&CK framework's emphasis on kernel-level exploitation techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime application protection mechanisms and regular security assessments of installed security software to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components.