CVE-2018-6629 in Proactive Defense Software
Summary
by MITRE
In Micropoint proactive defense software 2.0.20266.0146, the driver file (mp110005.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 0x80000118.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6629 affects Micropoint proactive defense software version 2.0.20266.0146, specifically targeting the mp110005.sys driver component. This represents a critical security flaw that stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the driver's implementation. The vulnerability manifests through the IOCTL 0x80000118 interface, which serves as a communication channel between user-mode applications and the kernel-mode driver. When malicious or malformed input data is passed through this interface without proper validation, the driver fails to handle the unexpected values gracefully, leading to system instability and potential crash conditions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient input validation, and CWE-787, concerning out-of-bounds write operations. The driver's failure to validate input parameters creates a pathway for exploitation that can result in a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) condition, effectively causing a denial of service scenario. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in security software contexts where drivers operate with elevated privileges and direct hardware access, as it can be leveraged by local attackers to disrupt system operations or potentially escalate privileges through more sophisticated attack vectors. The unspecified other impacts mentioned in the description suggest that beyond simple denial of service, the vulnerability may enable additional malicious behaviors that could compromise system integrity.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Micropoint's proactive defense software, as local users with minimal privileges can exploit the flaw to disrupt system functionality. The attack surface is relatively narrow since it requires local access to the system, but the potential for privilege escalation or persistent denial of service makes it a serious concern. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that security software drivers typically run with high privileges, making successful exploitation potentially more dangerous than typical user-mode vulnerabilities. This flaw violates fundamental security principles outlined in the ATT&CK framework under T1068, which covers exploit for privilege escalation, and T1490, addressing exploitation of remote services.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the affected software version to address the input validation deficiency in the driver component. Organizations should also implement monitoring for unusual system behavior or BSOD occurrences that could indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and privilege separation practices can help limit the potential impact of local exploitation, while regular security assessments should verify that similar validation gaps do not exist in other system components. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust input validation in kernel-mode drivers, which should be designed with defensive programming principles to handle unexpected inputs gracefully without compromising system stability. Security teams should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous driver behavior patterns consistent with this type of exploitation attempt.