CVE-2008-7217 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, when running on Macintosh systems that restrict Office access to administrators, does not enforce this restriction for user ID 502, which allows local users with that ID to bypass intended security policy and access Office programs, related to permissions and ownership for certain directories.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2019
This vulnerability affects Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac systems where administrative restrictions are intended to limit Office access to privileged users only. The flaw manifests in the permission handling mechanism for specific directories, creating an unexpected exception that undermines the security policy enforcement. When a Mac system implements administrative restrictions on Office applications, the system should typically prevent non-administrative users from accessing these programs. However, the vulnerability allows local users with user ID 502 to bypass these restrictions and gain unauthorized access to Office programs despite the intended security controls.
The technical implementation issue stems from improper permission checking for certain directories within the Office installation structure. User ID 502 represents a specific account that is not properly excluded from the access control enforcement mechanism, creating a backdoor that allows unauthorized access. This represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability where a specific user account bypasses the intended access controls. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-276, which deals with incorrect permissions for critical resources, and specifically relates to improper access control mechanisms. The flaw demonstrates poor privilege separation and inadequate security boundary enforcement within the application's permission system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations that rely on administrative restrictions to control Office access. Local users with user ID 502 can potentially access sensitive documents, execute malicious code, or perform unauthorized operations within Office applications. This creates a persistent security risk where unauthorized users can circumvent administrative controls that are meant to protect against insider threats and unauthorized access. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where multiple users share the same system and administrative restrictions are implemented to prevent misuse of Office applications. It represents a failure in the principle of least privilege, where the system does not properly enforce access controls for all users except those with legitimate administrative rights.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Microsoft Office for Mac, reviewing user account configurations to identify and potentially disable user ID 502, and implementing additional monitoring for unauthorized Office access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation, and T1566, which covers credential access through exploitation of system vulnerabilities. System administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls beyond the default Office restrictions, such as file system level permissions, and conducting regular audits to identify unauthorized access patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing and validation of access control mechanisms, particularly in multi-user environments where administrative restrictions are critical for maintaining system integrity and data protection.