CVE-2024-23439 in Vba32 Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE • 02/13/2024
Vba32 Antivirus v3.36.0 is vulnerable to an Arbitrary Memory Read vulnerability by triggering the 0x22201B, 0x22201F, 0x222023, 0x222027 ,0x22202B, 0x22202F, 0x22203F, 0x222057 and 0x22205B IOCTL codes of the Vba32m64.sys driver.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2025
The Vba32 Antivirus version 3.36.0 presents a critical Arbitrary Memory Read vulnerability within its kernel-mode driver component Vba32m64.sys. This flaw manifests through specific IOCTL (Input/Output Control) code triggers that allow unauthorized memory access patterns, creating significant security implications for systems running this antivirus solution. The vulnerability specifically affects the driver's handling of multiple IOCTL codes including 0x22201B, 0x22201F, 0x222023, 0x222027, 0x22202B, 0x22202F, 0x22203F, 0x222057, and 0x22205B, all of which operate at the kernel level and can be exploited by malicious actors to read arbitrary memory locations.
This vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the driver's input validation and memory management mechanisms, where the Vba32m64.sys component fails to properly validate or sanitize the parameters passed through these IOCTL calls. The absence of proper bounds checking and memory access controls allows attackers to craft malicious IOCTL requests that can traverse memory space beyond intended boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in kernel memory. The vulnerability type aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and more specifically maps to CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write conditions that can lead to information disclosure and privilege escalation scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to extract sensitive data such as encryption keys, passwords, or other confidential information stored in kernel memory. When exploited successfully, these IOCTL codes can be leveraged to perform reconnaissance activities, gather system information, or even facilitate privilege escalation attacks that could allow adversaries to gain elevated system privileges. The kernel-level nature of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation could compromise the entire system, as kernel memory contains critical system data and credentials that are normally protected from user-mode access.
Security researchers should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework, specifically under the techniques T1059.003 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell) and T1547.001 (Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder) where an attacker might leverage the memory read capabilities to discover system configurations or credentials. The vulnerability also aligns with T1003 (OS Credential Dumping) techniques as it could potentially expose memory segments containing password hashes or authentication tokens. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling the vulnerable driver, applying vendor patches when available, or implementing kernel-mode protection mechanisms to prevent unauthorized IOCTL access.
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the kernel driver, where the Vba32m64.sys module does not properly validate the parameters associated with the affected IOCTL codes before processing memory read operations. This lack of proper parameter validation creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate driver behavior through crafted IOCTL requests, bypassing normal access controls and memory protection mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of insufficient validation in kernel-mode code, where security boundaries are not properly enforced, allowing malicious input to influence memory access patterns in ways that were not anticipated by the driver's original design.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching from the vendor, implementing driver signature enforcement, and monitoring for suspicious IOCTL activity in system logs. Security teams should also consider implementing kernel-mode protection frameworks such as Windows Driver Verifier or similar tools to detect abnormal driver behavior. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper kernel-mode security practices and demonstrates why driver-level security controls must be rigorously tested and validated. Organizations should also implement network-based detection measures to monitor for exploitation attempts and consider isolating systems running vulnerable antivirus versions until proper patches are applied.