CVE-2018-10975 in Security Guard
Summary
by MITRE
In 2345 Security Guard 3.7, the driver file (2345BdPcSafe.sys, X64 version) allows local users to cause a denial of service (BSOD) or possibly have unspecified other impact because of not validating input values from IOCTL 0x00222104.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10975 resides within the 2345 Security Guard 3.7 software suite, specifically targeting the kernel-mode driver component known as 2345BdPcSafe.sys in its x64 architecture version. This driver serves as a critical security component responsible for system-level protection and monitoring activities. The flaw manifests through improper input validation mechanisms within the driver's implementation, particularly when processing Device Control Requests (IOCTL) with the specific identifier 0x00222104. This represents a fundamental failure in the driver's security architecture where it fails to properly validate or sanitize data received from user-mode applications before processing these requests.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the realm of kernel-mode exploitation, where unvalidated input can lead to severe system instability and potential privilege escalation opportunities. When a local user crafts malicious input parameters for IOCTL 0x00222104, the driver lacks proper bounds checking, type validation, or parameter sanitization mechanisms that would normally be expected in secure kernel-mode programming practices. This absence of input validation creates a pathway for arbitrary code execution or system crash conditions, with the most immediate and observable impact being a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) resulting in system denial of service. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation vector stems from the fact that any user with local access can potentially exploit this flaw without requiring administrative privileges, making it particularly concerning from a security perspective.
From an operational impact standpoint, this vulnerability significantly undermines the reliability and security posture of systems running 2345 Security Guard 3.7. The potential for denial of service attacks means that legitimate users may experience unexpected system crashes and reboots, disrupting productivity and potentially causing data loss. The unspecified other impacts mentioned in the description suggest that beyond simple BSOD conditions, there may be additional security implications including potential privilege escalation or information disclosure vulnerabilities. The local nature of this attack vector means that any user with access to the system can potentially exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments or shared computing scenarios. This vulnerability effectively creates a backdoor for malicious actors who gain local access to exploit the driver's weaknesses and potentially escalate their privileges to kernel level access.
Security mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-10975 should focus on immediate patching and remediation efforts, as the vulnerability exists within the driver layer of the operating system. System administrators should prioritize updating to the latest version of 2345 Security Guard that addresses this specific input validation flaw. Additionally, implementing runtime monitoring and anomaly detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts before they result in system compromise. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which specifically addresses "Improper Validation of Array Index" and CWE-755, "Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions," as the driver fails to properly validate input parameters and handle exceptional conditions that arise from malformed input. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1068, "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," and T1490, "Inhibit System Recovery," as it enables both privilege escalation and system denial of service conditions. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted code and reduce the attack surface available to potential exploit attempts.