CVE-2010-3216 in Word
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Word 2002 SP3 and Office 2004 for Mac allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Word document containing bookmarks that trigger use of an invalid pointer and memory corruption, aka "Word Bookmarks Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2021
The CVE-2010-3216 vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Word 2002 SP3 and Office 2004 for Mac that enables remote code execution through specially crafted Word documents. This vulnerability specifically targets the handling of bookmarks within Word documents, exploiting an invalid pointer dereference that leads to memory corruption. The flaw exists in the way Microsoft Word processes bookmark data structures when parsing malicious documents, creating a condition where an attacker can manipulate memory contents to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The vulnerability operates through a classic buffer overflow mechanism where bookmark data structures are processed without proper validation, leading to memory corruption. When Word encounters a malformed bookmark entry in a crafted document, it attempts to access memory locations that have not been properly initialized or validated, resulting in an invalid pointer dereference. This memory corruption can be exploited to overwrite critical program memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to redirect program execution flow and execute malicious code with the privileges of the victim user.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations as it enables remote code execution without user interaction, meaning users can be compromised simply by opening a malicious document. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be delivered through email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing mechanisms, making it highly suitable for targeted attacks or mass phishing campaigns. The vulnerability affects users running older versions of Microsoft Office, which often remain in enterprise environments due to compatibility requirements, creating extended attack surfaces. The exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the document, making it particularly effective for social engineering attacks.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond individual user compromise to potentially enable broader network infiltration and privilege escalation attacks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as successful exploitation can lead to system-level access. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying Microsoft security patches, deploying email filtering solutions to block suspicious document attachments, and implementing application whitelisting policies. Network segmentation and user access controls should also be strengthened to limit potential lateral movement if exploitation occurs. Regular security awareness training for users to recognize suspicious email attachments and document files is essential to prevent successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software patches and implementing comprehensive vulnerability management programs to address similar flaws in legacy applications.