CVE-2018-6474 in SUPERAntiSpyware Professional Trial
Summary
by MITRE
In SUPERAntiSpyware Professional Trial 6.0.1254, the driver file (SASKUTIL.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 0x9C402148.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6474 resides within the SUPERAntiSpyware Professional Trial version 6.0.1254 driver component known as SASKUTIL.SYS. This driver interface exposes a critical flaw through its handling of input validation for a specific IOCTL command identified as 0x9C402148. The absence of proper input validation creates a pathway for local attackers to manipulate driver behavior in ways that can result in system instability and potential privilege escalation. This type of vulnerability represents a classic example of insufficient input validation that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system compromise.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from the driver's failure to properly validate parameters received through the IOCTL interface. When a local user submits crafted input data to the IOCTL 0x9C402148 handler, the driver does not perform adequate checks on the supplied values before processing them. This validation gap allows malicious input to traverse the driver's normal execution flow, potentially causing memory corruption or unexpected behavior within the kernel space. The vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which specifically addresses "Improper Input Validation" in software systems, making it particularly dangerous due to its potential for system-level exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as the described behavior can result in Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) scenarios that completely crash the operating system. Local users with minimal privileges can leverage this weakness to disrupt system operations, potentially causing data loss or service interruption. Additionally, the unspecified other impacts suggest that this vulnerability might provide opportunities for privilege escalation or information disclosure, though the exact scope of these additional consequences requires further analysis. The fact that this affects a security tool's driver component is particularly concerning as it represents an attack surface that could be exploited to bypass security controls or gain elevated privileges within the system environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6474 should focus on immediate patching of the affected SUPERAntiSpyware software to version 6.0.1255 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. System administrators should also implement monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity related to the SASKUTIL.SYS driver and consider restricting local user privileges where possible. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage and potentially T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as local users could leverage this weakness to gain elevated system access. Network segmentation and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit the potential impact of such local exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper kernel-mode input validation and highlights the risks associated with security software that operates with elevated privileges, as these components become attractive targets for exploitation due to their privileged access levels and potential for system-wide impact.