CVE-2007-1347 in Windows Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Windows Explorer on Windows 2000 SP4 FR and XP SP2 FR, and possibly other versions and platforms, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and crash) via an Office file with crafted document summary information, which causes an error in Ole32.dll.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2024
This vulnerability resides in Microsoft Windows Explorer's handling of Office document summary information, specifically affecting Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 French edition and Windows XP Service Pack 2 French edition along with potentially other versions and platforms. The flaw manifests when Windows Explorer processes Office files containing maliciously crafted document summary information that triggers memory corruption within the Ole32.dll component. This represents a classic buffer overflow condition where malformed input data exceeds allocated memory boundaries, leading to unpredictable behavior and system instability. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the Windows file explorer's automatic processing of document metadata, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered simply by browsing to or opening affected files.
The technical execution of this vulnerability follows a well-established pattern of memory corruption exploitation that aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions. When Windows Explorer encounters the crafted document summary information, it attempts to parse and display this metadata without proper input validation, causing Ole32.dll to access invalid memory locations. This results in a crash of the Windows Explorer process and can potentially lead to broader system instability. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no user interaction beyond normal file browsing activities, making it a passive threat that can be delivered through email attachments, network shares, or any medium containing the malicious Office files. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input sanitization and memory management practices that should have been addressed through proper bounds checking and secure coding methodologies.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant denial of service conditions that can severely disrupt user productivity and system availability. The memory corruption leads to immediate crashes of Windows Explorer, forcing users to restart their desktop environments and potentially lose unsaved work. In enterprise environments, this could result in widespread disruption across multiple user sessions, particularly if the malicious files are distributed through email or shared network resources. The vulnerability's potential for remote exploitation means that attackers could craft malicious Office documents designed to crash systems when opened, making it a valuable tool for disrupting operations or creating cover for more sophisticated attacks. Organizations using affected systems face the risk of repeated service interruptions, increased helpdesk calls, and potential escalation to more serious security incidents.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches and updates that address the specific Ole32.dll memory corruption issue. System administrators should implement network segmentation and email filtering to prevent the delivery of potentially malicious Office documents through common attack vectors. Additionally, users should be trained to avoid opening Office files from untrusted sources and to exercise caution when browsing network shares or downloading attachments. Security configurations should include disabling automatic preview of Office documents in Windows Explorer, as this feature directly enables the exploitation of the vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict the execution of Office applications in potentially hostile environments. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in system components can create significant operational risks. This case study aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a classic example of how application-level vulnerabilities can be leveraged for system disruption and potential privilege escalation opportunities.