CVE-2022-38166 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

F-Secure Endpoint Protection for Windows and macOS prior to channel with Capricorn database 2022-11-22_07 is vulnerable to a remote denial of service attack due to a crash in the aerdl.dll unpacker handler.

Understanding CVE-2022-38166

This article provides insights into the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies related to CVE-2022-38166.

What is CVE-2022-38166?

CVE-2022-38166 affects F-Secure Endpoint Protection for Windows and macOS before specific database updates, leading to a scanning engine crash when the aerdl.dll unpacker handler crashes.

The Impact of CVE-2022-38166

The vulnerability allows an attacker to remotely trigger a denial of service, disrupting the scanning engine's functionality.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-38166

Below are the key technical aspects related to CVE-2022-38166:

Vulnerability Description

The crash of the aerdl.dll unpacker handler in F-Secure Endpoint Protection enables a remote attacker to cause a scanning engine crash.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions of F-Secure Endpoint Protection for Windows and macOS before the specified database update are vulnerable to this issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by an attacker to trigger a denial of service, impacting the scanning engine's operation.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2022-38166 using the following strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Ensure systems are updated with the latest Capricorn database (2022-11-22_07) to mitigate the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch F-Secure Endpoint Protection to stay protected against potential security threats.

Patching and Updates

Monitor security advisories from F-Secure and apply patches promptly to address known vulnerabilities.