CVE-2018-3666 in Smart Sound Technology
Summary
by MITRE
Driver module in Intel Smart Sound Technology before version 9.21.00.3541 potentially allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code as administrator via a non-paged pool overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3666 resides within Intel Smart Sound Technology driver modules, specifically affecting versions prior to 9.21.00.3541. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that enables local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges. The issue manifests through a non-paged pool overflow condition that occurs within the kernel-mode driver component responsible for handling audio processing tasks in Intel's smart sound technology framework. The vulnerability impacts systems utilizing Intel Smart Sound Technology for audio processing and management, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to gain elevated system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a buffer overflow within the non-paged pool memory allocation mechanism of the driver. When processing certain audio data or control commands, the driver fails to properly validate input lengths before copying data into fixed-size buffers allocated in non-paged memory. This oversight allows an attacker to overflow the designated buffer space and overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially including critical kernel data structures or function pointers. The non-paged pool overflow specifically targets memory regions that remain resident in physical memory during system sleep states, making the exploitation particularly dangerous as it can persist across system transitions. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121: Stack-based Buffer Overflow and CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, both of which are fundamental buffer overflow categories that enable privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-3666 extends beyond simple local privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. This elevation of privileges allows malicious actors to bypass standard operating system security controls, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to install rootkits, modify system files, establish persistence mechanisms, or access sensitive data without detection. The attack vector requires local system access, meaning an attacker must already have a user account on the target system, but the privilege escalation to administrator level makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users have elevated access rights. The exploitation process typically involves crafting malicious audio data or control commands that trigger the buffer overflow condition, followed by careful manipulation of the overflowed memory to redirect execution flow to attacker-controlled code.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-3666 primarily focus on updating the Intel Smart Sound Technology driver to version 9.21.00.3541 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow condition. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive the security updates promptly. Additional defensive measures include implementing kernel-mode exploit protection mechanisms such as kernel address space layout randomization, data execution prevention, and driver signature enforcement. Monitoring for suspicious system behavior or unexpected privilege escalation events can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing least privilege principles for user accounts and restricting local system access where possible. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as privilege escalation through kernel exploits and persistence mechanisms, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams implementing threat hunting and incident response protocols. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date driver software and the potential risks associated with kernel-mode vulnerabilities in modern computing environments.