CVE-2007-2982 in Business Connect webhelper ActiveX control
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in the British Telecommunications Business Connect webhelper ActiveX control before 1.0.0.7 in btbconnectwebcontrol.dll allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2982 represents a critical security flaw within the British Telecommunications Business Connect webhelper ActiveX control, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.0.0.7. This vulnerability manifests through multiple buffer overflow conditions within the btbconnectwebcontrol.dll component, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized system access. The ActiveX control, designed for web-based telecommunications services, was widely deployed in enterprise environments where British Telecommunications Business Connect services were utilized, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could potentially affect numerous organizations simultaneously.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the btbconnectwebcontrol.dll library. Buffer overflows occur when more data is written to a fixed-length buffer than it can accommodate, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten. In this case, the unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the ActiveX control could trigger the overflow conditions, potentially through various method calls or parameter inputs. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions as a fundamental weakness in software design, and more specifically aligns with CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a pathway to compromise entire systems through the exploitation of the ActiveX control. Since ActiveX controls are inherently trusted components within Internet Explorer environments, successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the logged-in user, potentially leading to full system compromise. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1195.001, which describes the use of ActiveX controls for code execution, and T1059.007, which covers the execution of scripts through Windows Command Shell. The attack vector typically involves hosting malicious content on web servers that, when accessed through Internet Explorer, automatically triggers the vulnerable ActiveX control and executes attacker-controlled code.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2982 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The primary recommendation involves updating the affected ActiveX control to version 1.0.0.7 or later, which contains the necessary patches to prevent buffer overflow conditions. Organizations should also implement browser hardening measures, including disabling ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer or restricting their execution to trusted sites only. Network-based mitigations can include implementing web application firewalls that detect and block suspicious ActiveX-related traffic patterns, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for unusual process creation or memory access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the vulnerable ActiveX control within their environments and ensure proper patch management processes are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. The remediation process should also include user education to prevent accidental activation of malicious content that could trigger these buffer overflow conditions.