CVE-2018-6782 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 0x9A0081DC.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6782 resides within Jiangmin Antivirus version 16.0.0.100 and specifically targets the 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 robust input validation mechanisms. The flaw manifests through improper validation of input parameters supplied to the IOCTL 0x9A0081DC control code, which represents a direct interface point between user-mode applications and the kernel-mode driver. This design oversight creates a pathway for malicious or accidental manipulation of driver behavior through crafted input data.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when local users submit malformed input parameters to the specified IOCTL command. Without proper validation, the driver processes these untrusted inputs directly within kernel space, leading to potential system instability. The most immediate consequence is the occurrence of a blue screen of death (BSOD) which represents a system crash and denial of service condition. The vulnerability's potential impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the unspecified other impacts could include privilege escalation opportunities or arbitrary code execution within kernel space. This represents a significant security risk since kernel-mode exploits can bypass most operating system security mechanisms and potentially provide attackers with complete system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a serious concern for enterprise environments where antivirus software is deployed. The local privilege escalation aspect means that any user account on the system could potentially exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges, undermining the security model of operating systems that rely on user and kernel mode separation. The vulnerability's exploitation requires local access but does not necessitate network connectivity, making it particularly dangerous in environments where physical access to systems is possible or where insider threats exist. The attack surface is limited to systems running the specific Jiangmin Antivirus version mentioned, but the impact remains severe due to the kernel-mode execution context.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input ranges, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds writes in kernel-mode drivers. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and defense evasion through kernel-mode manipulation. The lack of input validation in kernel drivers represents a fundamental security flaw that can be exploited through multiple vectors including local privilege escalation and system compromise. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability through official updates from Jiangmin, as the vendor has likely addressed this issue in subsequent releases. System administrators should also implement monitoring for unusual kernel-mode activity and consider restricting access to potentially vulnerable kernel interfaces through group policy or other access control mechanisms.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the critical importance of secure coding practices in kernel-mode components. Driver developers must implement comprehensive input validation and error handling mechanisms to prevent malformed data from causing system instability or security breaches. This case demonstrates that even security software designed to protect systems can contain vulnerabilities that undermine system integrity. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their installed security solutions and maintain up-to-date patch management processes to address such kernel-mode vulnerabilities that could provide attackers with elevated privileges or system compromise capabilities.