CVE-2007-1403 in Shockwave
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in an ActiveX control in SwDir.dll 10.1.4.20 in Macromedia Shockwave allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (Internet Explorer 7 crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long (1) BGCOLOR, (2) SRC, (3) AutoStart, (4) Sound, (5) DrawLogo, or (6) DrawProgress property value, different vectors than CVE-2006-6885.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1403 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow issue within the Macromedia Shockwave ActiveX control component. This flaw exists in the SwDir.dll library version 10.1.4.20 and specifically affects Internet Explorer 7 environments where the Shockwave plugin is installed. The vulnerability manifests through improper input validation when processing various property values within the ActiveX control, creating conditions where maliciously crafted input can overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack. The affected properties include BGCOLOR, SRC, AutoStart, Sound, DrawLogo, and DrawProgress parameters, each presenting distinct attack vectors that can be exploited to compromise system integrity. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow category, which is classified as a fundamental memory safety issue that has been consistently identified as a primary attack surface for privilege escalation and code execution exploits. The attack vectors leverage the inherent trust model of ActiveX controls within web browsers, where user-supplied data is directly processed without adequate bounds checking mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution within the context of the victim's browser session. When an attacker crafts malicious input for any of the six vulnerable properties, the buffer overflow can corrupt the stack frame and potentially overwrite return addresses or other critical control data structures. This memory corruption can lead to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, browser instability, or more dangerously, the execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Internet Explorer. The vulnerability's exploitation requires an attacker to convince a victim to visit a malicious web page containing specially crafted Shockwave content, making it a classic client-side attack vector that leverages social engineering techniques. The fact that this vulnerability operates through multiple distinct property vectors increases the attack surface and makes it more challenging to defend against comprehensively.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as part of the broader ATT&CK framework's T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution technique, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on victim systems. The attack chain typically involves initial access through malicious web content, followed by exploitation of the ActiveX control buffer overflow to gain remote code execution capabilities. Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense including browser security restrictions, ActiveX control whitelisting, and regular patch management procedures to mitigate this risk. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in software development, particularly for components that process untrusted data from web sources. Remediation efforts should focus on immediate patching of affected Shockwave versions, disabling ActiveX controls in browsers where they are not essential, and implementing network-level controls to block known malicious content. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the persistent security challenges associated with legacy ActiveX technologies and underscores the need for organizations to migrate away from deprecated web technologies that present such persistent attack surfaces. The vulnerability's classification as a stack-based buffer overflow also emphasizes the critical importance of compiler security features such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization to mitigate the potential impact of such flaws in affected systems.