CVE-2018-6668 in Application Control
Summary
by MITRE
A whitelist bypass vulnerability in McAfee Application Control / Change Control 7.0.1 and before allows execution bypass, for example, with simple DLL through interpreters such as PowerShell.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6668 represents a critical whitelist bypass flaw in McAfee Application Control and Change Control versions 7.0.1 and earlier. This security weakness fundamentally undermines the intended protection mechanisms of the software by allowing unauthorized code execution despite active whitelisting policies. The vulnerability specifically affects the application control framework's ability to properly validate and enforce execution restrictions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to circumvent security controls through legitimate system interfaces.
Technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of dynamic link library loading mechanisms within interpreter environments such as PowerShell. The flaw enables attackers to load and execute unauthorized DLL files through trusted interpreter processes, effectively bypassing the application control policies that should prevent such execution. This occurs because the system fails to properly validate the integrity and authorization status of dynamically loaded components, particularly when these components are invoked through scripting environments that are typically considered safe and trusted within the security framework.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6668 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass complete system compromise potential. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the interpreter process, potentially leading to full system control. The attack vector through PowerShell specifically targets the common practice of using scripting environments for legitimate administrative tasks, making the exploitation more隐蔽 and harder to detect. This vulnerability essentially transforms trusted interpreter environments into attack vectors, undermining the core principle of application control systems that rely on whitelisting to prevent unauthorized execution.
Organizations utilizing McAfee Application Control and Change Control versions prior to 7.0.2 face significant risk exposure from this vulnerability, as it allows for persistent access and lateral movement within compromised environments. The flaw aligns with common attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques such as "Process Injection" and "Taint Shared Libraries" where adversaries manipulate legitimate system processes to execute malicious code. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability particularly affects environments where PowerShell execution policies are relaxed or where application control is not properly configured to address interpreter-based execution paths.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching to version 7.0.2 or later, which addresses the whitelist bypass mechanism. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring for suspicious PowerShell execution patterns and DLL loading activities, particularly in environments where interpreter-based execution is common. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the impact of successful exploitation, while comprehensive security audits should verify that application control policies properly account for interpreter environments and their associated DLL loading behaviors. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of thorough testing of security controls in complex execution environments where multiple layers of trust intersect.