CVE-2007-4463 in Total Commander
Summary
by MITRE
The Fileinfo 2.0.9 plugin for Total Commander allows user-assisted remote attackers to cause a denial of service (unhandled exception) via an invalid RVA address function pointer in (1) an IMAGE_THUNK_DATA structure, involving the (a) OriginalFirstThunk and (b) FirstThunk IMAGE_IMPORT_DESCRIPTOR fields, or (2) the AddressOfNames IMAGE_EXPORT_DIRECTORY field in a PE file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-4463 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Fileinfo 2.0.9 plugin for Total Commander, a widely used file management utility in Windows environments. This issue manifests when the plugin processes malformed Portable Executable (PE) files that contain invalid runtime address (RVA) values within specific structures, creating an unhandled exception that crashes the application. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's parsing logic for PE file headers and import/export tables, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might encounter or open untrusted executable files.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the IMAGE_THUNK_DATA structure within PE files, specifically targeting two critical fields in the IMAGE_IMPORT_DESCRIPTOR structure. The OriginalFirstThunk and FirstThunk fields contain function pointer addresses that, when improperly formatted or pointing to invalid memory locations, trigger an unhandled exception in the Fileinfo plugin. Additionally, the vulnerability extends to the AddressOfNames field within the IMAGE_EXPORT_DIRECTORY structure, where malformed RVA addresses cause similar crashes. These structures are fundamental components of PE file format specifications and are used by the Windows loader to resolve dynamic library imports and exports. The flaw essentially occurs when the plugin attempts to dereference invalid pointers without proper validation, leading to a segmentation fault or access violation that terminates the application.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security and availability concerns for systems running Total Commander with the affected Fileinfo plugin. Attackers can remotely trigger a denial of service condition by crafting specially formatted PE files that, when opened or previewed by a victim using the vulnerable plugin, cause Total Commander to crash completely. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in shared or networked environments where users might inadvertently encounter malicious files, or in automated systems that process untrusted file content. The vulnerability's user-assisted nature means that successful exploitation requires some form of social engineering or user interaction, but once triggered, it can disrupt normal file management operations and potentially impact productivity in business environments. The issue also represents a broader concern about plugin security in file management applications, highlighting the need for robust input validation in third-party extensions.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-248, which covers exposure of an exception to the public. Additionally, this issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Windows Command Shell and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, as the flaw enables attackers to cause system instability through file processing operations. Organizations should immediately update to the latest version of Total Commander and the Fileinfo plugin to remediate this vulnerability, while implementing proper file validation and sandboxing measures for untrusted content. Network administrators should also consider monitoring for suspicious file access patterns and ensure that users are educated about the risks of opening untrusted executable files. The vulnerability underscores the importance of secure coding practices in plugin development and the necessity of thorough input validation to prevent similar issues in other file processing applications.