CVE-2018-6205 in Anti Virus
Summary
by MITRE
In Max Secure Anti Virus 19.0.3.019,, the driver file (MaxProtector32.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 0x220009.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6205 resides within Max Secure Anti Virus version 19.0.3.019 where the kernel-mode driver component MaxProtector32.sys exhibits improper input validation behavior. This flaw manifests through the IOCTL 0x220009 interface which lacks adequate parameter verification mechanisms. The driver operates at kernel level with elevated privileges, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it provides an attack surface that can be exploited by local users without requiring remote access capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper input validation within the driver's handling of IOCTL requests. When a local user submits malicious input parameters to the 0x220009 ioctl command, the driver fails to validate the supplied data before processing it. This validation gap creates opportunities for buffer overflows, memory corruption, or other exploitable conditions that can result in system instability. The lack of input sanitization allows attackers to craft specific input sequences that manipulate the driver's internal state, potentially leading to unpredictable behavior and system-wide consequences.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions. While the primary effect manifests as a blue screen of death (BSOD) due to system crashes, the vulnerability may also enable unspecified other impacts that could include privilege escalation, information disclosure, or system compromise. Local users who can execute code with sufficient privileges to interact with the driver interface can leverage this weakness to destabilize the operating system. The kernel-mode execution context of the driver means that successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, as the attacker would be operating with the highest possible privileges available to the Windows kernel.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. The improper input validation directly contributes to these weaknesses by failing to establish proper bounds checking on user-supplied data. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation', and T1490, which covers 'Inhibit System Recovery' through system crash conditions. The local privilege escalation aspect is particularly concerning as it allows attackers with minimal privileges to potentially gain administrative control over systems running vulnerable versions of the anti-virus software.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6205 should focus on immediate vendor remediation through updated driver versions that implement proper input validation mechanisms. Organizations should ensure that all systems running Max Secure Anti Virus are updated to versions that address this vulnerability. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing additional security controls such as driver signature enforcement and kernel-mode protection mechanisms. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting user access to driver interfaces and monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity. Regular security assessments of kernel-mode components should be conducted to identify similar validation gaps in other security software. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions can help detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining up-to-date patch management processes ensures that known vulnerabilities are promptly addressed across all system components.