CVE-2018-10828 in Pointing-Device Driver
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Alps Pointing-device Driver 10.1.101.207. ApMsgFwd.exe allows the current user to map and write to the "ApMsgFwd File Mapping Object" section. ApMsgFwd.exe uses the data written to this section as arguments to functions. This causes a denial of service condition when invalid pointers are written to the mapped section. This driver has been used with Dell, ThinkPad, and VAIO devices.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10828 represents a critical security flaw within the Alps Pointing-device Driver version 10.1.101.207 which is commonly deployed on various laptop devices including Dell, ThinkPad, and VAIO systems. This issue stems from improper input validation and memory management practices within the ApMsgFwd.exe component that handles communication between the pointing device driver and system processes. The vulnerability manifests through the insecure handling of file mapping objects, specifically the "ApMsgFwd File Mapping Object" section that allows unauthorized users to establish memory mappings and write arbitrary data to designated memory regions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a classic buffer overflow and memory corruption attack vector where malicious actors can map memory sections and write invalid pointers to the designated file mapping object. When the ApMsgFwd.exe process reads and processes this data, it treats the written content as function arguments without proper validation, leading to unpredictable behavior and system instability. This flaw directly corresponds to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it operates at the kernel level within device drivers, providing potential for privilege escalation and system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions as demonstrated by the ability to cause system crashes and instability through invalid pointer dereferencing. The flaw affects a wide range of devices from different manufacturers that rely on Alps pointing device drivers, creating a significant attack surface across multiple platforms. When exploited, the vulnerability can result in complete system hangs, application crashes, and potentially provide attackers with opportunities to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. This represents a critical weakness in the device driver security model where user-level processes can manipulate kernel-level memory structures, violating fundamental security principles of privilege separation and memory protection.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate driver updates and patches provided by device manufacturers, as the flaw resides in proprietary driver code that requires official remediation from vendors. System administrators should implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized users from executing the vulnerable ApMsgFwd.exe process and consider disabling unnecessary pointing device functionality when not required. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in device driver development, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes local privilege escalation through kernel exploits. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious memory mapping activities and file access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts against similar driver-based vulnerabilities.