CVE-2018-6201 in eScan
Summary
by MITRE
In eScan Antivirus 14.0.1400.2029, the driver file (econceal.sys) allows local users to cause a denial of service (BSOD) or possibly have unspecified other impact because of not validating input values from IOCtl 0x830020E0 or 0x830020E4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6201 affects eScan Antivirus version 14.0.1400.2029 and represents a critical security flaw within the antivirus software's kernel-mode driver component. This issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the econceal.sys driver file, which serves as a core component for the antivirus protection system. The vulnerability manifests when the driver processes specific IOCTL (Input/Output Control) requests with codes 0x830020E0 and 0x830020E4, which are used for communication between user-mode applications and the kernel-mode driver. These IOCTL codes are typically employed for legitimate system management functions but become dangerous when the driver fails to properly validate the input parameters provided by external processes.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability resides in the driver's failure to implement proper parameter validation for the specified IOCTL requests. When local users submit crafted input values through these IOCTL interfaces, the driver processes them without sufficient sanitization or verification, leading to potential system instability. This lack of input validation creates a condition where malicious or malformed data can cause the Windows kernel to crash, resulting in a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) scenario. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation risk stems from the fact that any user with access to the system can potentially exploit this flaw, as the driver operates with elevated privileges necessary for antivirus functionality. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-129, which describes improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-787, which addresses out-of-bounds write operations that can occur when input validation is insufficient.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6201 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as the potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that attackers might be able to leverage this vulnerability for more sophisticated attacks. While the primary effect is system instability through BSOD conditions, the absence of proper input validation opens doors for potential privilege escalation scenarios where local attackers could gain elevated system privileges. The vulnerability affects systems running the specific version of eScan Antivirus mentioned, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where this software is deployed. Organizations using this antivirus version face increased risk of system downtime, potential data loss, and compromised security postures, as the antivirus software itself becomes a potential attack vector rather than a protective measure. The vulnerability's local nature means that exploitation does not require network connectivity, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local access is common.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6201 should prioritize immediate software updates from eScan vendor to address the driver validation issues. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit local user access where possible and monitor for suspicious IOCTL activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.003 for command and scripting interpreter usage and T1068 for local privilege escalation, suggesting that exploitation might involve legitimate system tools to maintain persistence. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime application control measures and monitoring for abnormal BSOD occurrences that could indicate driver-level exploitation. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar input validation flaws in other kernel-mode drivers within the system, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization in privileged code execution contexts. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of updated driver versions to ensure that the fix properly addresses the validation issues without introducing new compatibility problems in the antivirus functionality.