CVE-2007-0238 in OpenOffice
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in filter\starcalc\scflt.cxx in the StarCalc parser in OpenOffice.org (OOo) Office Suite before 2.2, and 1.x before 1.1.5 Patch, allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a document with a long Note.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-0238 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the StarCalc component of OpenOffice.org office suite. This vulnerability specifically affects the filter\starcalc\scflt.cxx file in the StarCalc parser, which is responsible for processing spreadsheet documents. The flaw manifests when the software processes documents containing excessively long Note fields, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack. Such buffer overflows are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite stack memory. The flaw occurs during the parsing of spreadsheet documents, specifically when handling Note fields that exceed the allocated buffer size. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which involves the execution of malicious code through the use of remote code execution vulnerabilities in software applications. The attack vector is user-assisted remote exploitation, meaning that an attacker must convince a victim to open a specially crafted document containing the malicious Note field, but the actual exploitation can occur without direct interaction from the attacker beyond the initial delivery of the malicious file.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations using affected versions of OpenOffice.org, as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute arbitrary code on target systems. When a user opens a malicious document containing an overly long Note field, the buffer overflow can be leveraged to overwrite return addresses and function pointers on the stack, allowing an attacker to redirect program execution to malicious code. This vulnerability affects both the 1.x series before 1.1.5 Patch and the 2.2 version of OpenOffice.org, indicating it was a persistent flaw that required multiple patches to address. The vulnerability essentially allows for privilege escalation and persistent access to systems, as the attacker can execute code with the same privileges as the OpenOffice.org process, which typically runs with user-level privileges but could potentially be elevated through additional attack vectors.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest available versions of OpenOffice.org, specifically versions 1.1.5 and 2.2 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed. Network segmentation and email filtering should be enhanced to prevent the delivery of potentially malicious documents through email attachments or web downloads. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening documents from untrusted sources, as this vulnerability requires user interaction to be exploited. System administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict the execution of potentially vulnerable software and monitor for unusual process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security updates and vulnerability management programs, as this flaw existed for several years before being properly addressed in official patches, demonstrating the critical need for timely remediation of known security issues in widely used office software suites.