CVE-2018-6773 in Jiangmin
Summary
by MITRE
In Jiangmin Antivirus 16.0.0.100, the driver file (KSysCall.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 0x9A008084.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6773 resides within the Jiangmin Antivirus 16.0.0.100 software suite, specifically within its kernel-mode driver component known as KSysCall.sys. This driver operates at the highest privilege level within the Windows operating system, making it a critical component that requires rigorous security validation. The flaw manifests through improper input validation mechanisms within the driver's handling of IOCTL (Input/Output Control) requests, specifically targeting the control code 0x9A008084. This particular IOCTL code represents a well-defined interface through which user-mode applications can communicate with kernel-mode drivers to execute specific functions. The vulnerability stems from the driver's failure to validate incoming parameter values, creating a potential attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to manipulate the driver's behavior.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a local user crafts a malicious IOCTL request with malformed or unexpected parameter values to the KSysCall.sys driver. Without proper validation, these invalid inputs can cause the driver to process data incorrectly, leading to system instability. The most immediate and severe consequence is the potential for a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), which occurs when the Windows kernel encounters a critical error that it cannot recover from, forcing the system to crash and restart. This denial of service condition effectively renders the affected system unavailable to legitimate users, disrupting normal operations and potentially causing data loss. The unspecified other impacts suggest that beyond simple system crashes, the vulnerability might enable more sophisticated exploitation techniques that could potentially escalate privileges or allow arbitrary code execution within the kernel context.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where antivirus software is deployed across multiple systems. Since the exploit requires only local user access, it can be leveraged by malicious insiders or attackers who have already gained user-level privileges on a target system. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the kernel-mode nature of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation could potentially allow attackers to bypass security controls, escalate privileges, or even install persistent backdoors. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, though this particular case involves input validation failures rather than buffer overflows. The attack vector falls under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation', and T1484, which addresses 'Domain Policy Modification', as the exploitation could potentially modify system behavior and access controls. Organizations using Jiangmin Antivirus 16.0.0.100 should consider this vulnerability as a critical security concern requiring immediate remediation.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2018-6773 should prioritize immediate patching of the Jiangmin Antivirus software to the latest version that addresses the input validation issues within the KSysCall.sys driver. System administrators should also implement monitoring for unusual IOCTL activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, privilege separation measures and user access controls should be enforced to limit local user capabilities and reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability highlights the importance of kernel-mode driver security validation and proper input sanitization, which are fundamental requirements for maintaining system integrity. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous driver behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patched software to ensure that the vulnerability is fully resolved without introducing compatibility issues with existing system functions or applications.