CVE-2010-3452 in OpenOffice
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in oowriter in OpenOffice.org (OOo) 2.x and 3.x before 3.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via crafted tags in an RTF document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2024
The CVE-2010-3452 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in the oowriter component of OpenOffice.org versions 2.x and 3.x prior to 3.3. This vulnerability resides within the RTF document processing functionality and demonstrates a classic memory safety issue that has significant implications for software security. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-416 as a use-after-free condition, which occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, potentially leading to unpredictable behavior including crashes or code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of crafted RTF tags within malicious documents. When OpenOffice.org processes these specially constructed tags, the oowriter component fails to properly manage memory allocation and deallocation sequences. This improper memory management creates a scenario where freed memory locations are accessed after being reallocated, allowing attackers to either trigger application crashes or potentially inject and execute arbitrary code within the context of the running OpenOffice process. The vulnerability specifically affects the RTF import functionality, making it particularly dangerous as RTF documents are commonly used for document exchange across different platforms and applications.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to enterprise environments where OpenOffice.org is widely deployed for document processing. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability without requiring local access to target systems, making it particularly dangerous in unpatched environments. The potential for arbitrary code execution creates opportunities for attackers to escalate privileges, establish persistent access, or deploy additional malicious payloads within the compromised system. Organizations using older versions of OpenOffice.org face significant exposure to this vulnerability, as it can be triggered through simple document attachments or web-based delivery mechanisms.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and demonstrates how document processing applications can serve as attack vectors for broader system compromise. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability represents a failure in proper memory management practices and highlights the importance of regular software updates and patch management. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including disabling RTF import functionality where possible, implementing strict document filtering policies, and ensuring all systems are updated to OpenOffice.org 3.3 or later versions that contain the necessary memory safety fixes. The vulnerability also underscores the broader security implications of legacy software in enterprise environments and reinforces the need for comprehensive vulnerability management programs.