CVE-2018-6631 in Proactive Defense Software
Summary
by MITRE
In Micropoint proactive defense software 2.0.20266.0146, the driver file (mp110009.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 0x80000170.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6631 affects Micropoint proactive defense software version 2.0.20266.0146, specifically targeting the mp110009.sys driver component. This issue represents a critical security flaw that exposes the system to potential denial of service conditions and unspecified impacts due to inadequate input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability manifests through the driver's failure to properly validate input parameters received via IOCTL 0x80000170, which is a Windows device control code used for communication between user-mode applications and kernel-mode drivers. The absence of proper input validation creates a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the driver's handling of malformed or unexpected data inputs.
The technical flaw resides in the driver's implementation where it accepts IOCTL requests without performing adequate validation of the input parameters. This weakness directly maps to CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" in software systems. When a local user submits crafted input data through the IOCTL interface, the driver processes these parameters without sufficient sanitization or verification, leading to unpredictable behavior. The most immediate and observable consequence is the potential for a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) occurring when the driver encounters invalid or malformed input data structures. This type of vulnerability represents a classic example of improper input handling that can be exploited to crash system processes or cause system instability, which constitutes a denial of service attack vector.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to system availability and stability within environments where the Micropoint proactive defense software is deployed. The local privilege escalation aspect means that any user with access to the system can potentially trigger the BSOD condition, effectively rendering the system unusable until manual intervention occurs. The unspecified other impacts mentioned in the description suggest that beyond simple denial of service, the vulnerability may potentially allow for additional malicious activities such as privilege escalation, information disclosure, or arbitrary code execution. This represents a serious concern for enterprise environments where system stability and uptime are critical requirements. The vulnerability affects systems running Windows operating systems and requires the specific version of Micropoint software to be exploitable, making it a targeted attack vector for adversaries familiar with the software ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6631 should focus on immediate remediation through vendor-provided patches or updates to the Micropoint proactive defense software. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual IOCTL activity patterns, particularly those involving the specific control code 0x80000170. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced to limit local user access to system resources where possible, reducing the attack surface. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous driver behavior or BSOD conditions that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review their patch management procedures to ensure timely application of vendor security updates. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," indicates that this issue could potentially be leveraged as part of broader attack chains, making proactive remediation essential for maintaining overall system security posture.