CVE-2008-3704 in Visual Studio
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the MaskedEdit ActiveX control in Msmask32.ocx 6.0.81.69, and possibly other versions before 6.0.84.18, in Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0, Visual Basic 6.0, Visual Studio .NET 2002 SP1 and 2003 SP1, and Visual FoxPro 8.0 SP1 and 9.0 SP1 and SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long Mask parameter, related to not "validating property values with boundary checks," as exploited in the wild in August 2008, aka "Masked Edit Control Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2024
The CVE-2008-3704 vulnerability represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow affecting the MaskedEdit ActiveX control in Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0, Visual Basic 6.0, Visual Studio .NET 2002 SP1 and 2003 SP1, and Visual FoxPro 8.0 SP1 and 9.0 SP1 and SP2 environments. This vulnerability specifically impacts the Msmask32.ocx version 6.0.81.69 and earlier versions, with the issue persisting until version 6.0.84.18. The flaw manifests when processing a long Mask parameter, creating a condition where boundary checks are not properly enforced during property value validation, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code remotely.
This vulnerability falls under CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and represents a classic memory safety issue where insufficient input validation allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory boundaries. The attack vector involves remote exploitation through web-based ActiveX controls, making it particularly dangerous in browser environments where users might encounter malicious web pages containing crafted Mask parameters. The vulnerability's exploitation in the wild during August 2008 demonstrates its practical threat level and the widespread use of affected Visual Studio and Visual FoxPro components across enterprise environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise, as attackers can leverage the buffer overflow to gain arbitrary code execution privileges. The affected ActiveX control is commonly deployed in enterprise applications built using Microsoft development tools, making organizations running these environments highly susceptible to exploitation. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions of Microsoft development tools indicates a fundamental flaw in the control's input handling mechanisms rather than a simple version-specific issue.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling ActiveX controls in web browsers, applying Microsoft security patches released in response to this vulnerability, and implementing network-based restrictions to prevent access to potentially malicious web content. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, and T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers typically leverage the compromised system to execute additional malicious payloads. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual ActiveX control loading patterns and anomalous network traffic from affected systems.
Microsoft's response to this vulnerability included releasing security updates that addressed the boundary checking issues in the MaskedEdit control, with the fix specifically targeting the validation of property values to prevent buffer overflows. The vulnerability's remediation requires updating to affected software versions or implementing application whitelisting to prevent execution of vulnerable ActiveX controls. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training to help users recognize potentially malicious web content and avoid visiting compromised websites that might exploit this vulnerability. The incident underscores the importance of proper input validation and boundary checking in software development practices, particularly for components that handle user-provided data in web environments.