CVE-2008-3879 in Ultra Office Control
Summary
by MITRE
The Ultra.OfficeControl ActiveX control in OfficeCtrl.ocx 2.0.2008.801 and earlier in Ultra Shareware Ultra Office Control allows remote attackers to force the download of arbitrary files onto a client system via a URL in the first argument to the Open method, in conjunction with a full destination pathname in the first argument (SaveAsDocument argument) to the Save method.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-3879 represents a critical security flaw in the Ultra.OfficeControl ActiveX control version 2.0.2008.801 and earlier. This ActiveX component, developed by Ultra Shareware, was designed to facilitate office document operations within web browsers, but contained a dangerous implementation flaw that could be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary file download operations on vulnerable client systems. The vulnerability specifically affects the interaction between two methods within the control: the Open method and the Save method, creating a path traversal and arbitrary file download scenario that could be leveraged for malicious purposes.
The technical exploitation mechanism relies on the improper handling of file paths and URL parameters within the ActiveX control's method implementations. Attackers can manipulate the first argument of the Open method to specify a remote URL that points to malicious content, while simultaneously controlling the Save method's first argument to specify a full destination path on the victim's local system. This combination allows the control to download content from the specified URL and save it to any location on the victim's filesystem, bypassing normal browser security restrictions and potentially overwriting critical system files or installing malware. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and path sanitization within the ActiveX control's file operation methods, creating a direct pathway for arbitrary file system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file downloads, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute more sophisticated attacks within the victim's environment. Since the control can save files to any location on the local system, an attacker could potentially overwrite system executables, install backdoors, or place malicious files in startup directories to achieve persistent access. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may have elevated privileges or where the ActiveX control is deployed without proper security restrictions. The attack vector requires no special privileges on the attacker's side, as it can be executed through a malicious website or email attachment that triggers the vulnerable ActiveX control in the victim's browser.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate removal or disabling of the affected Ultra.OfficeControl ActiveX control from all affected systems. Organizations should implement strict ActiveX control policies that prevent automatic execution of potentially dangerous controls, and deploy application whitelisting solutions to restrict which ActiveX controls can be executed. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-94 Code Injection categories, representing a classic example of unsafe file handling in client-side components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables remote code execution through web-based attack surfaces. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level protections such as URL filtering and content inspection to prevent access to malicious sites that may exploit this vulnerability, while ensuring that all ActiveX controls are properly updated or removed from systems where they are not essential for business operations.