CVE-2023-2874 in Twister
Summary
by MITRE • 05/24/2023
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in Twister Antivirus 8. This issue affects the function 0x804f2158/0x804f2154/0x804f2150/0x804f215c/0x804f2160/0x80800040/0x804f214c/0x804f2148/0x804f2144/0x801120e4/0x804f213c/0x804f2140 in the library filppd.sys of the component IoControlCode Handler. The manipulation leads to denial of service. Attacking locally is a requirement. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier VDB-229853 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2023
This vulnerability in Twister Antivirus 8 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the kernel-mode driver component filppd.sys. The affected functions located at addresses 0x804f2158, 0x804f2154, 0x804f2150, 0x804f215c, 0x804f2160, 0x80800040, 0x804f214c, 0x804f2148, 0x804f2144, 0x801120e4, 0x804f213c, and 0x804f2140 demonstrate a fundamental weakness in the IoControlCode handler implementation. These memory addresses correspond to kernel-level functions that process device control requests, making them prime targets for privilege escalation and system stability compromise. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and specifically relates to improper input validation in kernel-mode drivers where untrusted data is processed without adequate bounds checking.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires local access and leverages the IoControlCode handler mechanism to trigger a denial of service condition. Attackers can manipulate input parameters sent to these specific kernel functions through device control requests, causing the system to crash or become unresponsive. This type of vulnerability represents a classic example of a kernel-mode privilege escalation vector that can be exploited by malicious actors with local system access. The fact that the exploit has been publicly disclosed and is available for use significantly increases the risk profile, as it removes the requirement for advanced exploitation techniques and allows for rapid deployment across vulnerable systems. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service issue means that successful exploitation results in complete system instability rather than data theft or privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes, potentially affecting enterprise environments where Twister Antivirus 8 is deployed. Organizations running this antivirus solution face the risk of unauthorized system downtime, service disruption, and potential business continuity issues. The local attack requirement means that adversaries must first gain access to a target system, which could occur through various attack vectors including phishing, credential theft, or other initial compromise techniques. Once inside the system, attackers can leverage this vulnerability to cause persistent service disruptions, making it particularly dangerous in mission-critical environments. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.003, which covers command and scripting interpreter, as attackers may use local access to execute malicious code that triggers the vulnerable functions. The lack of vendor response to the disclosure indicates a potential gap in the security update process and suggests that organizations may need to implement immediate mitigation strategies.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the Twister Antivirus 8 software, as well as implementation of additional security controls to prevent local system compromise. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running the affected software and ensure proper access controls are in place to limit local system access. The security community should monitor for any additional related vulnerabilities in the same driver component and consider implementing network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation. System administrators should also implement robust monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unusual system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and the necessity of rapid response to disclosed vulnerabilities, particularly when vendor communication is lacking. Organizations should also consider implementing additional layers of protection including endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify and block exploitation attempts targeting kernel-mode components.