CVE-2023-1630 in JiangMin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/25/2023
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in JiangMin Antivirus 16.2.2022.418. Affected by this issue is the function 0x222000 in the library kvcore.sys of the component IOCTL Handler. The manipulation leads to denial of service. Local access is required to approach this attack. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-224012.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2023
This vulnerability resides within JiangMin Antivirus version 16.2.2022.418, specifically targeting the kvcore.sys kernel driver component. The flaw manifests in the IOCTL handler function identified as 0x222000, which operates at the kernel level and handles device control requests from user-mode applications. The vulnerability represents a denial of service condition that can be triggered through improper input handling within the kernel driver's control interface. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of kernel-mode privilege escalation risks, as it allows local attackers to manipulate system resources and potentially cause system instability or complete system crashes. The vulnerability's classification as problematic indicates that it presents a significant security risk that could be exploited to disrupt normal system operations and compromise the integrity of the antivirus protection mechanism itself.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the IOCTL handler function 0x222000 within the kvcore.sys library, which processes incoming control commands from the antivirus kernel driver. When an attacker sends malformed or specially crafted input parameters to this handler, the kernel driver fails to properly validate or sanitize the input data, leading to unpredictable behavior that can result in system crashes or denial of service conditions. This represents a classic buffer overflow or improper input validation vulnerability within kernel space, where the lack of proper bounds checking allows malicious input to corrupt kernel memory structures or cause invalid memory access patterns. The vulnerability's local access requirement means that an attacker must already have user-level access to the system to exploit it, but once achieved, the impact extends to the kernel level where system stability is compromised. This aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may also relate to CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflows, depending on the specific memory corruption mechanism.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system disruption, as it fundamentally undermines the reliability and trustworthiness of the JiangMin Antivirus protection framework. When exploited, the denial of service condition can render the antivirus software completely non-functional, leaving the system vulnerable to malware attacks during the period when the protection is unavailable. The public disclosure of the exploit (VDB-224012) increases the risk profile significantly, as it provides threat actors with readily available tools to target systems running this specific version of JiangMin Antivirus. This vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where antivirus software serves as a critical defense layer against malware and other security threats. The attack surface is limited to systems running the vulnerable version, but the potential for widespread impact exists when considering that many organizations may be using this specific antivirus version without proper patch management protocols in place. The vulnerability demonstrates how security software itself can become a vector for system compromise, creating a paradoxical situation where the tool meant to protect the system becomes a potential attack surface.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and system hardening measures. The most effective approach involves updating to a patched version of JiangMin Antivirus that addresses the IOCTL handler vulnerability in the kvcore.sys component. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure that all systems running vulnerable antivirus software are updated promptly. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing kernel-mode protection mechanisms such as driver signature enforcement and code integrity checks to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation risk suggests that implementing least privilege principles and restricting user access to system-level operations can reduce the attack surface. Monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity and implementing behavioral analysis tools can help detect exploitation attempts before they cause system disruption. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and defense evasion, as attackers may use such flaws to maintain persistent access or to avoid detection by security controls. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts and reduce the likelihood of lateral movement within compromised systems.