CVE-2018-15366 in Trend Micro
Summary
by MITRE
A UrlfWTPPagePtr KERedirect Use-After-Free Privilege Escalation vulnerability in Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac (Consumer) 7.0 (2017) and above could allow a local attacker to escalate privileges on vulnerable installations. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2020
The CVE-2018-15366 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac versions 7.0 and above, specifically affecting the UrlfWTPPagePtr KERedirect component. This vulnerability resides within the kernel extension architecture of the antivirus software, creating a dangerous condition where memory that has been freed is still being referenced by the application. The flaw occurs during the processing of web page redirects within the kernel context, making it particularly severe as it operates at the most privileged level of the operating system. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic memory safety issue that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, as the freed memory location may contain sensitive data or control structures that an attacker can manipulate.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires a local attacker to first gain low-privileged code execution capabilities on the target system, which serves as the initial foothold for privilege escalation. This prerequisite aligns with common attack methodologies where adversaries first compromise user accounts or exploit other vulnerabilities to establish a presence before attempting more sophisticated privilege escalation techniques. The use-after-free condition specifically manifests when the kernel extension processes certain URL redirection scenarios, causing the system to maintain references to memory that has already been deallocated. This creates a potential for memory corruption that can be leveraged by an attacker to inject malicious code into the kernel space, bypassing standard security mechanisms and operating system protections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of the affected antivirus software. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to execute code with kernel-level privileges, effectively undermining the security posture of the entire system. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac operates with elevated privileges to perform system-level security functions, making the compromise of its kernel components equivalent to gaining complete system control. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Mac systems are deployed, as it can be exploited to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, or deploy additional malware without detection.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected Trend Micro Antivirus installations, as the vendor has released updates to address the memory management flaw in the kernel extension. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring for unusual kernel activity or unexpected privilege escalation attempts, as these may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of kernel-level security testing and proper memory management practices, particularly in security software that operates with elevated privileges. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as kernel extension signing requirements and runtime application control to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. This case highlights the critical need for regular security assessments of kernel extensions and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security software to protect against known vulnerabilities that could be exploited for privilege escalation. The flaw relates to CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, and represents a technique that could be mapped to ATT&CK tactic T1068 which covers privilege escalation through local exploitation of software vulnerabilities.