CVE-2019-17103 in BitDefender
Summary
by MITRE
An Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability in the BDLDaemon component of Bitdefender AV for Mac allows an attacker to elevate permissions to read protected directories. This issue affects: Bitdefender AV for Mac versions prior to 8.0.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2024
The CVE-2019-17103 vulnerability represents a critical incorrect default permissions flaw within the BDLDaemon component of Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac software. This vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to 8.0.0 and creates a significant security risk by allowing unauthorized elevation of privileges. The issue stems from improper default permission settings that enable malicious actors to gain access to protected system directories that should normally be restricted to authorized processes only. The BDLDaemon component serves as a core system service responsible for various antivirus operations, making its insecure default permissions particularly dangerous. When default permissions are incorrectly configured, they create attack vectors that bypass normal access controls and privilege separation mechanisms that are fundamental to secure system design.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the BDLDaemon service running with insufficient permission controls that allow arbitrary users or processes to access sensitive system resources. This flaw operates at the operating system level where file and directory permissions are not properly enforced, creating a path for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability manifests when the daemon component fails to implement proper access control lists or permission checks that should prevent unauthorized access to protected directories. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in permission management where default configurations do not provide adequate security boundaries. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor mechanism through which attackers can bypass normal security controls that protect system integrity and user privacy.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to perform reconnaissance and data exfiltration activities that could compromise entire system environments. The ability to read protected directories means that adversaries can access system configuration files, user data, and potentially sensitive information stored in restricted locations. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and can be leveraged to escalate privileges from standard user accounts to system-level access. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that antivirus software typically requires elevated privileges to function properly, making the misconfiguration of such components especially dangerous. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves privilege escalation through the exploitation of system vulnerabilities, and T1566 which covers initial access through social engineering or system exploitation.
The remediation approach for CVE-2019-17103 requires immediate upgrading to Bitdefender AV for Mac version 8.0.0 or later where the default permissions have been properly configured. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any systems still running affected versions and implement mandatory patching schedules. Organizations should also review their permission configurations for all system services and ensure that default settings follow security best practices. The fix typically involves implementing proper access control mechanisms that enforce strict permission boundaries between different system components. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns to protected directories, and regular audits of system services should be conducted to verify that permission settings remain properly configured. Additionally, organizations should implement principle of least privilege policies that limit the permissions granted to system services and applications, reducing the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future.