CVE-2018-18329 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2018-18329, a privilege escalation vulnerability in Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac (Consumer) versions 7.0 (2017) and above. Find out the impact, affected systems, exploitation details, and mitigation steps.
A vulnerability known as KERedirect Untrusted Pointer Dereference Privilege Escalation has been identified in Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac (Consumer) versions 7.0 (2017) and above. This CVE was published on October 23, 2018.
Understanding CVE-2018-18329
This CVE involves a privilege escalation vulnerability in Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac (Consumer) that could allow a local attacker to elevate their privileges on vulnerable systems.
What is CVE-2018-18329?
The vulnerability in Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac (Consumer) versions 7.0 (2017) and above allows a local attacker to escalate their privileges on the affected system by exploiting a lack of proper validation function on a user-supplied buffer.
The Impact of CVE-2018-18329
The vulnerability could enable a local attacker to elevate their privileges on systems that are vulnerable. However, exploitation requires the attacker to already have the capability to execute code with low privileges on the targeted system.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-18329
This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability arises from the absence of a validation function on the user-supplied buffer at the offset 0x6F4E.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac (Consumer)
- Versions affected: 7.0 (2017) and above
Exploitation Mechanism
To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must first have the capability to execute code with low privileges on the targeted system.
Mitigation and Prevention
Here are the steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2018-18329.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply security patches provided by Trend Micro promptly.
- Monitor Trend Micro's security advisories for updates and follow recommended actions.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update the antivirus software to the latest version.
- Implement least privilege access policies to limit the impact of potential privilege escalation vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Ensure that you regularly update Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac (Consumer) to the latest version to address known vulnerabilities.