CVE-2018-8044 in K7AntiVirus Premium
Summary
by MITRE • 01/12/2021
K7Computing Pvt Ltd K7Antivirus Premium 15.1.0.53 is affected by: Incorrect Access Control. The impact is: Local Process Execution (local). The component is: K7Sentry.sys.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-8044 affects K7Computing Pvt Ltd K7Antivirus Premium version 15.1.0.53 and represents a critical access control flaw within the system's kernel-mode driver component. This issue stems from improper privilege validation within the K7Sentry.sys driver which is responsible for core antivirus functionality. The vulnerability allows for local process execution without proper authorization, effectively creating a privilege escalation vector that could be exploited by malicious actors with local system access. The affected driver operates at the kernel level, making the impact particularly severe as it can bypass standard operating system security mechanisms and potentially enable arbitrary code execution with system-level privileges.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation of access permissions within the K7Sentry.sys driver module. When the antivirus software processes certain system calls or API invocations, it fails to properly verify the privileges of the calling process before granting access to sensitive kernel functions. This design flaw falls under the CWE-284 access control weakness category, specifically manifesting as improper privilege management within kernel-mode components. The vulnerability exists because the driver does not adequately implement mandatory access control checks, allowing unprivileged local users to execute processes that should only be accessible to system-level administrators or the antivirus service itself. This type of flaw is particularly dangerous because it operates below the level of standard user-space security controls and can be exploited without requiring network connectivity or complex attack vectors.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-8044 extends beyond simple local privilege escalation, as it creates a persistent backdoor mechanism within the system. Once exploited, an attacker can execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, potentially enabling full system compromise, data exfiltration, or the installation of persistent malware. The local process execution capability allows for stealthy attacks that do not generate network-based alerts, making detection more difficult for traditional security monitoring systems. This vulnerability affects systems where K7Antivirus Premium is installed, potentially exposing thousands of endpoints to remote exploitation by adversaries who have gained initial local access through other means. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that antivirus software typically runs with elevated privileges and is often trusted by operating systems to perform critical system functions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-8044 should focus on immediate patching of the affected K7Antivirus Premium version, as K7Computing has released updates to address this vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict access control policies that limit local user privileges and ensure that only authorized personnel have access to systems running vulnerable antivirus software. Network segmentation and monitoring can help detect anomalous process execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary kernel-mode driver components when they are not actively required for security operations. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation, and T1543 which addresses persistence mechanisms through kernel modules. Regular security assessments should include verification of driver integrity and privilege management configurations to prevent exploitation of similar access control flaws in other security software components.