CVE-2020-9362 in Total Security
Summary
by MITRE
The Quick Heal AV parsing engine (November 2019) allows virus-detection bypass via a crafted GPFLAG in a ZIP archive. This affects Total Security, Home Security, Total Security Multi-Device, Internet Security, Total Security for Mac, AntiVirus Pro, AntiVirus for Server, and Total Security for Android.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9362 represents a critical flaw in the Quick Heal antivirus parsing engine that was introduced in the November 2019 update. This vulnerability specifically targets the handling of GPFLAG structures within ZIP archive files, creating a pathway for malicious actors to bypass antivirus detection mechanisms. The affected products span multiple Quick Heal security suites including Total Security, Home Security, and various platform-specific versions for Windows, Mac, and Android devices, indicating a widespread impact across the vendor's product portfolio.
The technical flaw resides in the improper parsing of GPFLAG fields within compressed archive structures, which are used by Quick Heal's antivirus engine to identify and analyze potential threats. When a maliciously crafted ZIP archive containing a specially constructed GPFLAG is processed by the vulnerable Quick Heal engines, the parsing logic fails to properly recognize the malicious content, allowing threats to evade detection. This bypass mechanism operates at the archive extraction and analysis level, where the antivirus engine incorrectly interprets the crafted GPFLAG as legitimate data rather than malicious payload indicators.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple detection failure, as it provides attackers with a reliable method to deliver malware payloads undetected by security solutions. The vulnerability affects multiple security products simultaneously, suggesting that attackers could potentially target any system running the affected Quick Heal versions regardless of the specific security suite installed. This creates a significant risk for organizations and individual users who rely on Quick Heal for protection, as the vulnerability essentially grants malware authors a direct route to bypass security controls that are meant to protect against various threat vectors.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to CWE-129 Input Validation and OWASP Top Ten category A03: Injection, as it involves malformed input processing that results in security bypass. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 Impair Defenses, as the vulnerability enables adversaries to execute malicious code while simultaneously impairing the effectiveness of defensive mechanisms. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that ZIP archives are commonly used for file distribution and are frequently encountered in email attachments, software downloads, and file sharing scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected Quick Heal products to the latest versions that contain the necessary fixes for GPFLAG parsing. Organizations should implement additional layers of protection including network-based intrusion detection systems, email filtering solutions, and endpoint detection and response capabilities that can identify suspicious archive extraction behaviors. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify systems running the affected Quick Heal versions and ensure that all endpoints are updated to prevent exploitation. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while maintaining detailed logging of archive processing activities can aid in detecting anomalous behavior patterns associated with this specific vulnerability.