CVE-2009-1352 in PowerCHM
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in Dawningsoft PowerCHM 5.7 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via an HTML file with a link to a long URL, as demonstrated by a .rar URL.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-1352 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within Dawningsoft PowerCHM version 5.7 software. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of HTML files containing excessively long URLs, specifically when these URLs reference .rar files. The flaw manifests when the software processes such malformed input without proper bounds checking, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to compromise system integrity.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability operates through improper input validation within the PowerCHM application's HTML parsing functionality. When processing an HTML file containing a link with an extraordinarily long URL, the software fails to enforce adequate buffer size limitations during string operations. This allows an attacker to craft a malicious HTML document that, when opened by the vulnerable application, causes the stack buffer to overflow. The overflow occurs because the application allocates a fixed-size buffer on the stack to store URL data but does not verify that incoming URL lengths remain within acceptable parameters. According to CWE-121, this constitutes a classic stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability where insufficient bounds checking leads to memory corruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution. Attackers can exploit this weakness to cause application crashes and system instability, while simultaneously creating opportunities for arbitrary code injection. The demonstration using .rar URLs highlights the practical exploitability of this flaw, as the attack vector targets the application's file handling capabilities. This vulnerability affects the software's integrity and availability, potentially allowing unauthorized access to systems where the vulnerable application is installed. The attack can be executed remotely without requiring local access, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-1352 should prioritize immediate software updates from Dawningsoft to address the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable systems and deploy application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted HTML content. Additionally, security professionals should consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious URL patterns and malformed HTML file access attempts. According to ATT&CK framework tactic TA0005 (Defense Evasion) and technique T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter), attackers may leverage such vulnerabilities to establish persistence and execute malicious payloads. System administrators should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments and maintain updated security patches to prevent exploitation of similar weaknesses in other software components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper memory management practices in software development, emphasizing the need for robust security testing during application lifecycle phases.