CVE-2025-1055 in Anti-Malware
Summary
by MITRE • 06/11/2025
A vulnerability in the K7RKScan.sys driver, part of the K7 Security Anti-Malware suite, allows a local low-privilege user to send crafted IOCTL requests to terminate a wide range of processes running with administrative or system-level privileges, with the exception of those inherently protected by the operating system. This flaw stems from missing access control in the driver's IOCTL handler, enabling unprivileged users to perform privileged actions in kernel space. Successful exploitation can lead to denial of service by disrupting critical services or privileged applications.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-1055 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the K7 Security Anti-Malware suite's kernel driver component K7RKScan.sys. This issue arises from inadequate access control mechanisms implemented within the driver's IOCTL (Input/Output Control) handler interface, creating a pathway for local low-privilege users to execute unauthorized privileged operations in kernel space. The vulnerability specifically affects systems running Windows operating systems where the K7 Security suite is installed, making it particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of this security software across enterprise and consumer environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the driver's failure to properly validate and enforce access controls on incoming IOCTL requests. When a user submits a crafted IOCTL command to the K7RKScan.sys driver, the kernel-level component does not perform adequate authentication or authorization checks before executing the requested operation. This missing access control validation creates an exploitable condition where any local user, regardless of their privilege level, can send malicious IOCTL requests that target and terminate processes running with elevated privileges including administrative and system-level permissions. The vulnerability specifically impacts process termination capabilities within kernel space, allowing attackers to disrupt critical system services and privileged applications through crafted malicious requests.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to system availability and integrity. The ability to terminate privileged processes running with administrative or system-level privileges creates multiple attack vectors for potential exploitation. While the vulnerability does not affect processes inherently protected by the operating system, it can still compromise critical services such as antivirus engines, system monitoring tools, and other security applications that run with elevated privileges. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as attackers could potentially disrupt system functionality by terminating essential services, leading to system instability, data loss, or complete system unavailability. This flaw particularly affects enterprise environments where security software is extensively deployed and where system uptime is critical for business operations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a classic example of insufficient privilege checking in kernel-mode drivers. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1490 (Inhibit System Recovery) techniques, as it enables attackers to escalate privileges and potentially cause system-wide disruptions. The flaw also demonstrates characteristics of T1543 (Create or Modify System Process) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as attackers can leverage the driver's functionality to execute malicious commands through kernel-level interfaces. Organizations should consider implementing the mitigations recommended by Microsoft and K7 Security, including immediate driver updates, system monitoring for unauthorized IOCTL activity, and network segmentation to limit potential attack surface. Additionally, system administrators should implement least privilege principles and regularly audit kernel driver installations to prevent unauthorized modifications that could exacerbate the vulnerability's impact.