CVE-2021-21785 in Advanced SystemCare Ultimate
Summary
by MITRE • 08/06/2021
An information disclosure vulnerability exists in the IOCTL 0x9c40a148 handling of IOBit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 14.2.0.220. A specially crafted I/O request packet (IRP) can lead to a disclosure of sensitive information. An attacker can send a malicious IRP to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the kernel-mode driver component of IOBit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate version 14.2.0.220. The issue manifests specifically during the handling of IOCTL (Input/Output Control) command 0x9c40a148 which is part of the Windows driver communication interface. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of input parameters within the driver's IRP (I/O Request Packet) processing routine, creating an exploitable condition where attacker-controlled data can be improperly handled and subsequently exposed to unauthorized parties. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation as classified by CWE-20, which directly relates to the fundamental flaw in how the driver processes external input requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a potential attack surface that could allow adversaries to extract sensitive system information from the kernel space. When an attacker crafts and submits a malicious IRP with the specific IOCTL code 0x9c40a148, the vulnerable driver routine fails to properly validate the incoming request parameters, leading to the accidental disclosure of memory contents that may include system addresses, kernel data structures, or other confidential information. This information disclosure can serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks, including privilege escalation attempts or further exploitation of the system. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.003 for command and scripting interpreter, as it enables an attacker to potentially gain additional system intelligence that could be used for further compromise.
The technical nature of this flaw demonstrates a classic buffer over-read or improper memory access pattern where the driver does not adequately check bounds or validate data integrity before processing the IRP. This creates a scenario where the driver may read beyond allocated memory boundaries or access uninitialized memory regions, inadvertently exposing kernel memory contents to user-mode applications or network-based attackers. The vulnerability represents a fundamental failure in the driver's security architecture, as it lacks proper input sanitization mechanisms and does not implement appropriate access controls for kernel-level operations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through the Windows driver interface without requiring elevated privileges initially, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have access to the system. The exploitation of such vulnerabilities often requires knowledge of the specific driver interface and careful crafting of the malicious IRP to trigger the information disclosure condition, placing this vulnerability in the ATT&CK matrix under T1550.001 for use of stolen credentials, as the leaked information could be used to facilitate further attacks. The root cause of this vulnerability directly connects to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-707, which covers improper neutralization of special elements, both of which are fundamental security weaknesses that enable the information disclosure behavior. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including driver updates from IOBit, system hardening measures, and monitoring for suspicious IRP activity on affected systems to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.