CVE-2006-1316 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Microsoft Office 2003 SP1 and SP2, Office XP SP3, Office 2000 SP3, and other products, allows user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary code via an Office file with malformed string that triggers memory corruption related to record lengths, aka "Microsoft Office Parsing Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2006-2389.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Office applications that affects multiple product versions including Office 2003 SP1 and SP2, Office XP SP3, and Office 2000 SP3. The issue stems from improper handling of malformed string data within Office file formats, specifically when processing record lengths that exceed expected boundaries. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious Office documents containing specially formatted strings that trigger buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions during document parsing operations. The vulnerability operates under the principle of user-assisted execution, meaning that a user must open the malicious file for the attack to succeed, making social engineering components essential for exploitation. This particular flaw falls under the category of memory corruption vulnerabilities that are commonly classified as CWE-121, which encompasses buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2006-2389, indicating that it represents a separate code path or parsing routine within the Office application suite that handles document structures differently. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Office documents are frequently shared and opened, as it enables remote code execution capabilities when successful. The attack vector typically involves phishing emails containing malicious attachments or compromised websites hosting infected Office files that users unknowingly open, creating a persistent threat landscape for organizations lacking proper email filtering and endpoint protection measures. The exploitation mechanism leverages the inherent parsing logic within Microsoft Office applications that process various document formats including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, making the attack surface quite broad across the Office ecosystem. Organizations implementing standard security controls such as application whitelisting, email filtering solutions, and regular patch management can significantly reduce exposure to this vulnerability, though the widespread adoption of older Office versions means many environments remain at risk. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution tactic, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to run malicious code on target systems. Additionally, the vulnerability's classification as a code execution flaw aligns with the T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter technique, as successful exploitation typically involves executing malicious payloads that can establish persistence or escalate privileges. Microsoft addressed this vulnerability through security updates that improved input validation and memory management routines within the Office parsing components, though the long support lifecycle of older Office versions means that organizations using these legacy products may continue to face risks without proper mitigation strategies. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in securing complex office document processing systems where multiple file format parsers must handle diverse and often malformed input data while maintaining robust memory safety boundaries.