CVE-2018-1985 in Trusteer Rapport
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Trusteer Rapport/Apex 3.6.1908.22 contains an unused legacy driver which could allow a user with administrator privileges to cause a buffer overflow that would result in a kernel panic. IBM X-Force ID: 154207.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1985 affects IBM Trusteer Rapport and Apex versions 3.6.1908.22, representing a critical security flaw within the software's legacy driver components. This issue stems from the inclusion of unused code that persists in the software distribution despite no longer being actively utilized in the current operational environment. The presence of this legacy driver creates an unintended attack surface that adversaries can potentially exploit to compromise system integrity. The vulnerability specifically manifests when an administrator-level user executes malicious code that triggers the buffer overflow condition within the dormant driver code.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a buffer overflow condition that exists within the unused legacy driver component. When the vulnerable driver receives improperly validated input or performs operations beyond allocated memory boundaries, it triggers a kernel panic condition that results in system instability and potential complete system crash. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" and demonstrates how legacy code components can create persistent security risks even when they are not actively used in the primary software functionality. The buffer overflow vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution at kernel level, providing attackers with elevated privileges and complete system compromise capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes to represent a significant threat to enterprise security infrastructure. Organizations utilizing IBM Trusteer Rapport and Apex are particularly at risk since the vulnerability requires only administrator privileges to exploit, meaning that a compromised administrative account could immediately trigger the kernel panic condition. This represents a critical escalation path that could enable attackers to gain complete control over affected systems, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system persistence, and further lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability's presence in security software designed to protect against malware creates a particularly concerning scenario where the protection mechanism itself becomes a potential attack vector.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies focusing on the complete removal of the vulnerable legacy driver components from all affected systems. The most effective approach involves uninstalling the entire IBM Trusteer Rapport/Apex software package and replacing it with updated versions that have eliminated the legacy driver code. System administrators should also implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized administrative privilege escalation and monitor for any suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.003 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative accounts are frequently targeted. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security audits to identify any other legacy components that might pose similar risks and establish processes for regular software component review and removal of unused code to prevent future occurrences of this class of vulnerability.