CVE-2017-2225
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2017-2225 is an untrusted search path vulnerability in EbidSettingChecker.exe that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges by placing a malicious DLL in a directory searched by the application. This affects users of the Japanese government's e-bidding portal software. Attackers can gain SYSTEM-level access on affected Windows systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- EbidSettingChecker.exe (Japanese Government e-Bidding Portal Software)
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with SYSTEM privileges, allowing installation of persistent malware, data theft, and lateral movement across networks.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation leading to administrative control of the affected system, potentially enabling further attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper application whitelisting, DLL search path restrictions, and least privilege principles are enforced.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to place DLL in search path, typically requiring some level of initial access to the system.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Not specified in available references
Vendor Advisory: http://portal.ebid.mext.go.jp/top/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Visit the official e-bidding portal website. 2. Download and install the latest version. 3. Restart affected systems. 4. Verify the update was successful.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict DLL Search Path
windowsUse Windows policies to restrict DLL search paths and prevent loading from untrusted directories.
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager' -Name 'SafeDllSearchMode' -Value 1
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager' -Name 'CWDIllegalInDllSearch' -Value 1
Application Whitelisting
windowsImplement application control policies to only allow authorized executables and DLLs to run.
Configure Windows Defender Application Control or AppLocker policies
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Remove or restrict execute permissions on EbidSettingChecker.exe if not required
- Implement strict file system permissions to prevent unauthorized users from placing DLLs in application directories
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if EbidSettingChecker.exe version 1.0.0.0 exists on the system and examine file properties or registry entries.Check Version:
Right-click EbidSettingChecker.exe → Properties → Details tab, or use PowerShell: Get-Item 'C:\Path\To\EbidSettingChecker.exe' | Select-Object VersionInfoVerify Fix Applied:
Verify the executable version has been updated from 1.0.0.0 and test DLL hijacking attempts fail.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Windows Event Logs showing DLL loading from unusual paths
- Process creation events for EbidSettingChecker.exe with suspicious parent processes
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections following EbidSettingChecker.exe execution
SIEM Query:
ProcessName='EbidSettingChecker.exe' AND (ImageLoaded CONTAINS '.dll' FROM non-standard-path OR ParentProcess NOT IN expected-parents)