CVE-2007-4246 in Ichitaro
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability, possibly a buffer overflow, in Justsystem Ichitaro 2007 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a modified document, as actively exploited in August 2007 by malware such as Tarodrop.D (Tarodrop.Q), a different vulnerability than CVE-2006-4326, CVE-2006-5424, CVE-2006-6400, and CVE-2007-1938.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4246 represents a critical security flaw in Justsystem Ichitaro 2007 and earlier versions that falls under the category of unspecified vulnerability potentially manifesting as a buffer overflow condition. This vulnerability specifically affects the document processing capabilities of the Ichitaro word processing software, creating a pathway for remote code execution through the manipulation of document files. The flaw was actively exploited in August 2007 by malware campaigns including Tarodrop.D and Tarodrop.Q, demonstrating its real-world impact and the sophistication of the attack vectors employed against it.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the Ichitaro software's document parsing routines. When processing specially crafted or modified documents, the application fails to properly handle buffer boundaries, leading to potential memory corruption that attackers can leverage to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. This type of vulnerability aligns with common CWE classifications related to buffer overflows and memory safety issues, specifically mapping to CWE-121 for stack-based buffer overflow conditions and potentially CWE-122 for heap-based buffer overflows. The vulnerability's exploitation requires the victim to open a malicious document, making it particularly dangerous in social engineering contexts where users might encounter infected files through email attachments or malicious websites.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4246 extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration capabilities. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to systems running affected Ichitaro versions, potentially establishing persistent backdoors, installing additional malware, or using the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within a network. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on Ichitaro for document processing, as it represents a significant risk to both individual user systems and enterprise environments where the software is widely deployed. The fact that this vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during 2007 indicates that attackers recognized its potential for widespread impact and were actively developing and deploying malware leveraging this weakness.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4246 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Justsystem, as well as operational security measures to prevent exploitation. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of Ichitaro software, as this represents the most effective defense against the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing strict document validation policies, such as disabling automatic execution of macros and implementing sandboxed environments for document processing, can help reduce the risk of exploitation. Network-based defenses including email filtering and web proxy configurations that block suspicious document types can provide additional layers of protection. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through malicious documents and privilege escalation through code execution, emphasizing the need for comprehensive endpoint protection measures and user awareness training to prevent successful exploitation attempts.