CVE-2018-9333
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2018-9333 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in K7AntiVirus Premium's K7TSMngr.exe component that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code with system privileges. This affects users of K7AntiVirus Premium 15.1.0.53 on Windows systems. The vulnerability requires local access to the system to exploit.
💻 Affected Systems
- K7AntiVirus Premium
📦 What is this software?
Antivrius by K7computing
Enterprise Security by K7computing
Total Security by K7computing
Ultimate Security by K7computing
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining SYSTEM privileges, installing persistent malware, stealing sensitive data, and pivoting to other systems.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation allowing attackers to bypass security controls, install additional malware, or access protected system resources.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper endpoint protection, least privilege principles, and network segmentation are implemented.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access to the system. Buffer overflow exploitation typically requires specific knowledge of memory layout and offsets.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Versions after 15.1.0.53
Vendor Advisory: https://support.k7computing.com/index.php?/selfhelp/view-article/Advisory-issued-on-6th-January-2021
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open K7AntiVirus Premium. 2. Check for updates in the settings/update section. 3. Download and install the latest version. 4. Restart the system to ensure all components are updated.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable service
windowsTemporarily disable the K7TSMngr.exe service to prevent exploitation while awaiting patch
sc stop K7TSMngr
sc config K7TSMngr start= disabled
Restrict service permissions
windowsModify service permissions to limit who can interact with the vulnerable component
sc sdset K7TSMngr D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;IU)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;SU)
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict least privilege principles to limit damage from successful exploitation
- Deploy additional endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for exploitation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check K7AntiVirus version in the application interface or look for K7TSMngr.exe version 15.1.0.53Check Version:
wmic product where "name like 'K7%'" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify K7AntiVirus version is updated beyond 15.1.0.53 and K7TSMngr.exe shows a newer version📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process creation from K7TSMngr.exe
- Access violations or buffer overflow errors in application logs
- Multiple failed attempts to interact with K7TSMngr service
Network Indicators:
- Local connections to K7TSMngr service from unexpected processes
- Unusual outbound connections following local privilege escalation
SIEM Query:
Process Creation where (Image contains 'K7TSMngr.exe' OR ParentImage contains 'K7TSMngr.exe') AND CommandLine contains unusual patterns