CVE-2018-6784 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 0x9A00824C.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6784 resides within Jiangmin Antivirus version 16.0.0.100 and specifically involves the kernel-mode driver component named KSysCall.sys. This driver operates at the highest privilege level within the Windows operating system, making it a critical component for system security and stability. The flaw manifests through improper input validation mechanisms within the driver's handling of IOCTL (Input/Output Control) requests, particularly when processing the specific control code 0x9A00824C. This particular IOCTL interface serves as a communication channel between user-mode applications and the kernel-mode driver, enabling legitimate system operations while simultaneously creating an attack surface when input validation fails. The vulnerability represents a classic example of a buffer overflow or input validation flaw that can be exploited by local attackers with minimal privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the driver's failure to properly validate or sanitize input parameters received through the IOCTL 0x9A00824C interface. When a local user submits malicious input data through this control code, the driver processes the information without adequate checks for data boundaries, data types, or expected parameter ranges. This lack of validation creates opportunities for the driver to encounter malformed or unexpected input that causes it to behave unpredictably. The most immediate and severe consequence of this flaw is the potential for a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) to occur, which represents a system crash that halts all operations and requires manual rebooting. The vulnerability can be classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, though the specific nature of kernel-mode exploitation suggests more complex memory corruption patterns that align with CWE-122 for heap-based buffer overflows. The operational impact extends beyond simple system crashes, as the vulnerability could potentially enable privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution depending on the specific nature of the input validation failure.
The operational implications of this vulnerability are significant for organizations deploying Jiangmin Antivirus 16.0.0.100, as local users who have access to the system can leverage this flaw to disrupt service availability and potentially compromise system integrity. The fact that this is a local privilege escalation vulnerability means that any user with access to the system, including unprivileged accounts, can potentially exploit this weakness to cause system instability or gain elevated privileges. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1068 for Local Port Forwarding and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where attackers could use the BSOD capability to disrupt services or establish persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability also demonstrates the principle of least privilege violation, where kernel-mode components should never trust user-supplied input without proper validation, as outlined in the principle of defense in depth within cybersecurity frameworks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6784 should prioritize immediate remediation through official vendor patches or updates that address the input validation deficiencies in the KSysCall.sys driver. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of system logs for BSOD events and unusual driver behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. Network administrators should consider implementing privilege separation mechanisms and restricting local user access where possible, though this approach may be limited by the nature of antivirus software requirements. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of driver security testing and formal verification processes, particularly for kernel-mode components that operate with elevated privileges. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all installed antivirus software, including third-party solutions, to identify similar input validation flaws in other security products. Additionally, implementing behavioral monitoring tools that can detect anomalous driver behavior or suspicious IOCTL usage patterns provides an additional layer of defense against exploitation attempts. The incident highlights the necessity of maintaining current security patches and the importance of vendor security response capabilities, as this vulnerability represents a failure in the security testing and validation processes of the antivirus vendor's kernel-mode driver development lifecycle.