CVE-2006-6561 in Word
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Microsoft Word 2000, 2002, and Word Viewer 2003 allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted DOC file that triggers memory corruption, as demonstrated via the 12122006-djtest.doc file, a different issue than CVE-2006-5994 and CVE-2006-6456.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Word 2000, 2002, and Word Viewer 2003 applications that enables remote code execution through maliciously crafted DOC files. The vulnerability falls under the category of unspecified memory corruption issues that can be exploited by attackers who have the ability to convince users to open specially crafted documents. The specific exploit demonstrated through the 12122006-djtest.doc file showcases how attackers can leverage buffer overflow conditions or other memory manipulation techniques to gain unauthorized execution privileges on target systems. This vulnerability is distinct from related issues CVE-2006-5994 and CVE-2006-6456, indicating a separate code path or memory handling mechanism that requires specific attention.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a user opens a maliciously crafted DOC file that contains specially constructed data structures designed to trigger memory corruption within the Word application's processing routines. These crafted documents typically contain malformed data that, when parsed by the vulnerable Word versions, causes the application to write data beyond allocated memory boundaries or corrupt critical memory structures. The memory corruption can manifest as buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that allow attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the compromised user. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the document, making it a prime target for social engineering attacks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments where users may inadvertently open malicious documents sent via email attachments or downloaded from compromised websites. The attack vector relies on user-assisted remote execution, meaning that while the attacker cannot force users to open documents, they can craft convincing social engineering campaigns to achieve successful exploitation. Organizations running these older Word versions face elevated risk due to the lack of modern exploit mitigation features such as address space layout randomization, data execution prevention, and stack canaries that are present in more recent software versions. The vulnerability affects legacy systems that may not receive security updates, creating persistent attack surfaces that can be leveraged by threat actors for initial compromise or lateral movement within networks.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates and patches provided by Microsoft, though support for these legacy versions has long since expired. Organizations should implement comprehensive email filtering and attachment scanning solutions to prevent malicious DOC files from reaching users, while also conducting user awareness training to reduce susceptibility to social engineering attacks. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the impact if exploitation occurs, though the fundamental solution requires upgrading to supported Word versions or migrating to modern office suites that have robust memory safety features. This vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the mitre attack framework under initial access and execution phases, particularly leveraging social engineering tactics to achieve code execution. The underlying technical flaw corresponds to CWE-119, which encompasses weaknesses in memory safety and improper handling of memory operations that can lead to arbitrary code execution in vulnerable applications.