CVE-2022-43751: McAfee Total Protection Uncontrolled Search Path Element Vulnerability and Exploit Details

A recently discovered security vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection software versions prior to 16..49, dubbed CVE-2022-43751, has the potential to allow an unprivileged user to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. This is due to an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability that arises from the software's reliance on a possibly controllable variable pointing to a subdirectory. In this post, we will delve into the specifics of the vulnerability, provide code snippets to demonstrate the exploit, and offer links to original references and further reading.

Vulnerability Details

The issue at the heart of the vulnerability is that the McAfee Total Protection software, in versions prior to 16..49, does not adequately control the search path it uses to find and execute certain critical functions. This oversight allows a malicious user to potentially manipulate the search path to direct the software to execute malicious code, with potentially catastrophic consequences for the targeted system.

Exploit Details

The exploit itself takes advantage of the uncontrolled search path to load and execute arbitrary code with system privileges. By creating a malicious dynamic-link library (DLL) file and placing it in a directory that is within the search path of the McAfee Total Protection software, an attacker can achieve code execution with escalated privileges. Here is a code snippet illustrating this technique:

// malicious_dll.c

#include <Windows.h>

BOOL APIENTRY DllMain(HMODULE hModule, DWORD ul_reason_for_call, LPVOID lpReserved) {
    switch (ul_reason_for_call) {
        case DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH: {
            MessageBox(NULL, "Malicious code executed!", "CVE-2022-43751", MB_OK);
            break;
        }
        case DLL_THREAD_ATTACH:
        case DLL_THREAD_DETACH:
        case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
            break;
    }
    return TRUE;
}

This code snippet represents the malicious DLL that is crafted by an attacker. When the vulnerable McAfee Total Protection software loads this DLL, a message box displaying "Malicious code executed!" will appear, illustrating the successful exploitation of the vulnerability.

Original References

1. The official CVE details page: CVE-2022-43751
2. McAfee Security Bulletin: SB10369

Mitigation and Recommendations

McAfee has released an update (version 16..49) that addresses this vulnerability. Users of McAfee Total Protection should ensure that they are using the latest version of the software to protect against this exploit. Additionally, users should be cautious when downloading software from untrusted sources and should employ good security practices to minimize the risk of falling victim to malware.

Conclusion

The CVE-2022-43751 vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection software represents a severe risk to users who have not updated their software. By exploiting this flaw, hackers can execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges, potentially compromising the security of the affected machine. To protect against this exploit, users are advised to make sure they have the most recent version of McAfee Total Protection installed and to exercise caution when downloading and installing unfamiliar software.

Timeline

Published on: 11/23/2022 00:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/28/2022 15:37:00 UTC