CVE-2018-9044 in Advanced SystemCare Ultimate
Summary
by MITRE
In Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 11.0.1.58, the driver file (Monitor_win10_x64.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 0x9c4060cc.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9044 resides within Advanced SystemCare Ultimate version 11.0.1.58 and specifically targets the Monitor_win10_x64.sys driver component. This driver operates at a privileged kernel level within the Windows operating system, making it a critical security component that requires careful input validation. The flaw manifests through improper handling of input validation for IOCTL (Input/Output Control) command 0x9c4060cc, which represents a mechanism for user-mode applications to communicate with kernel-mode drivers. The absence of proper input validation creates a pathway for malicious or unintended operations that can compromise system stability and security.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the realm of kernel-mode driver vulnerabilities, specifically categorized under CWE-129 Input Validation and CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read. When a local user submits crafted input parameters to the IOCTL 0x9c4060cc command, the driver fails to validate the incoming data structures or parameters before processing them. This validation failure allows the driver to operate on malformed or unexpected data, leading to potential system crashes or undefined behavior. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service as indicated by the description suggesting "unspecified other impact," which could include privilege escalation or information disclosure scenarios.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to system integrity and availability. The fact that it affects a driver component used for monitoring system activities means that exploitation could potentially allow attackers to disrupt normal system operations or gain elevated privileges. The local nature of the vulnerability means that it requires only user-level access to potentially cause system instability, making it particularly concerning for environments where user access is not strictly controlled. The vulnerability's presence in a system optimization tool like Advanced SystemCare Ultimate is especially problematic as users may trust such software and not expect it to contain security flaws that could be exploited for system compromise.
The impact of this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation and denial of service. The use of kernel-mode drivers for system monitoring provides an ideal attack surface for adversaries seeking to maintain persistence or escalate privileges within a compromised system. The potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that this vulnerability could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks beyond simple system crashes. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in kernel-mode components and the potential cascading effects that can occur when such validation is omitted or insufficient.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-9044 should focus on immediate remediation through vendor-supplied patches or updates. Organizations should prioritize patch management processes to ensure that all instances of Advanced SystemCare Ultimate are updated to versions that address this vulnerability. Additionally, system administrators should implement monitoring for unusual system behavior or BSOD occurrences that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive driver security testing and input validation practices in all kernel-mode components. Regular security assessments of system optimization tools and utilities should be conducted to identify similar validation flaws that could provide similar attack vectors for system compromise.