McAfee Security Center IsOldAppInstalled ActiveX Buffer Overflow Vulnerability iDefense Security Advisory 05.08.07 http://labs.idefense.com/intelligence/vulnerabilities/ May 08, 2007 I. BACKGROUND McAfee Security Center is a centralized configuration GUI utilized to control and monitor McAfee Security products such as their AntiVirus, Firewall and AntiSpam products. More information can be found on the vendor's site at the following URL. http://us.mcafee.com/root/product.asp?productid=msc II. DESCRIPTION Remote exploitation of a buffer overflow in an ActiveX control distributed with McAfee Security Center could allow for the execution of arbitrary code. When McAfee Security products are installed, they register the following ActiveX control on the system: ProgId: McSubMgr.McSubMgr ClassId: 9BE8D7B2-329C-442A-A4AC-ABA9D7572602 File: MCSUBMGR.DLL, (McAfee Subscription manager module 6.0.0.13) This control is registered as safe for scripting and contains a buffer overflow in its IsOldAppInstalled() method. III. ANALYSIS Exploitation of this vulnerability is trivial and allows for the execution of arbitrary code as the currently logged in user. In order to be successful, attackers would need to convince a victim to go to a malicious web site. Although this attack requires some social engineering, the level required is considered minimal. Publicly available COM object fuzzing tools such as COMRaider can find this vulnerability using default settings. Note that this vulnerability is similar to "McAfee Subscription Manager Stack Buffer Overflow" that was published by eEye Digital Security. At the time of eEye's publishing, iDefense was aware of two additional vulnerabilities within this control. One, located in the GetUserRegisteredForBackend method, appears to have been fixed along with the issue eEye reported. The other is detailed in this advisory. IV. DETECTION iDefense confirmed the existence of this vulnerability using McAfee Virus Scan 10.0.27 running on Windows XP SP2. However, many additional McAfee products are reported to install this component. The vulnerable component includes the versions of the McAfee Subscription manager module listed below. Version 6.x prior to 6.0.0.25 Version 7.x prior to 7.2.147 V. WORKAROUND The following workarounds are available for this vulnerability: Disable Active Scripting Unregister the vulnerable control Set the killbit for the vulnerable control While these workarounds may prevent exploitation they may also adversely affect the operation of the McAfee product and should only be considered as short-term workarounds. VI. VENDOR RESPONSE "Security Center 7.2.147 and 6.0.25 address the risk associated with this security flaw. These updates were made available for download on March 22, 2007. Most consumers will receive the updates automatically. Consumers who have their McAfee products configured to update automatically should have already received the appropriate update and therefore will not need to take further action. Consumers who have configured their McAfee products to update manually must run an update." For information regarding the manual update process, refer to McAfee's Security Bulletin at the following URL. http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/faq3.asp?docid=419189 VII. CVE INFORMATION A Mitre Corp. Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) number has not been assigned yet. VIII. DISCLOSURE TIMELINE 08/14/2006 Initial vendor notification 10/17/2006 Second vendor notification 02/07/2007 Third vendor notification 02/08/2007 Initial vendor response 05/08/2007 Coordinated public disclosure IX. CREDIT This vulnerability was discovered by Peter Vreugdenhil. Get paid for vulnerability research http://labs.idefense.com/methodology/vulnerability/vcp.php Free tools, research and upcoming events http://labs.idefense.com/ X. LEGAL NOTICES Copyright © 2007 iDefense, Inc. Permission is granted for the redistribution of this alert electronically. It may not be edited in any way without the express written consent of iDefense. If you wish to reprint the whole or any part of this alert in any other medium other than electronically, please e-mail customerservice@idefense.com for permission. Disclaimer: The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this information.