CVE-2018-8060 in AMD64 Kernel Driver
Summary
by MITRE
HWiNFO AMD64 Kernel driver version 8.98 and lower allows an unprivileged user to send an IOCTL to the device driver. If input and/or output buffer pointers are NULL or if these buffers' data are invalid, a NULL/invalid pointer access occurs, resulting in a Windows kernel panic aka Blue Screen. This affects IOCTLs higher than 0x85FE2600 with the HWiNFO32 symbolic device name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-8060 resides within the HWiNFO AMD64 Kernel driver, specifically affecting versions 8.98 and earlier. This issue represents a critical flaw in the driver's input validation mechanisms that enables unprivileged users to exploit the system through improper handling of IOCTL (Input/Output Control) operations. The vulnerability manifests when the driver receives IOCTL requests with NULL or invalid buffer pointers, creating a condition where the kernel attempts to access invalid memory locations, ultimately leading to system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the HWiNFO32 symbolic device name, which provides userspace applications with access to the kernel driver. When IOCTL commands exceeding the threshold of 0x85FE2600 are submitted with malformed buffer parameters, the kernel driver fails to properly validate these inputs before attempting to dereference the buffer pointers. This lack of proper input sanitization creates a direct path for null pointer dereference conditions that can trigger kernel crashes and system panics. The vulnerability essentially allows any local user to induce a kernel-level fault through carefully crafted IOCTL calls, bypassing normal privilege restrictions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability to encompass potential denial of service scenarios that can affect entire computing environments. A successful exploitation results in Windows kernel panic conditions, commonly known as Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors, which can disrupt system operations and potentially lead to data loss or service interruptions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects unprivileged users, meaning that even non-administrative accounts can leverage this flaw to compromise system stability. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a reliable method for achieving system disruption without requiring elevated privileges or complex exploitation techniques.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-476, which describes NULL Pointer Dereference conditions in software systems. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where input validation is insufficient to prevent invalid memory access patterns. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and system compromise through kernel-level flaws, though the specific technique requires local user access. The vulnerability also intersects with defense evasion categories as it can be used to disrupt system services and potentially mask other malicious activities through system instability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-8060 should focus on immediate driver updates to versions beyond 8.98, which contain proper input validation mechanisms. System administrators should implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized users from interacting with the HWiNFO32 device driver, though this is less effective given the unprivileged nature of the vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring for unusual IOCTL activity patterns and implementing kernel patching procedures can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary hardware monitoring tools when not actively required, reducing the attack surface for such kernel-level vulnerabilities. The most effective long-term solution remains updating to patched driver versions that properly validate all buffer parameters before kernel memory access occurs.