CVE-2010-3916 in Ichitaro
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in JustSystems Ichitaro and Ichitaro Government allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted document, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-3915.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3916 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within JustSystems Ichitaro and Ichitaro Government document processing applications. This vulnerability specifically affects the parsing mechanisms of these office suite products, which are widely used in Japanese business environments for document creation and management. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious documents that, when opened by an affected application, trigger arbitrary code execution on the target system. Unlike CVE-2010-3915 which addressed different attack vectors, this vulnerability demonstrates a distinct code execution pathway through document manipulation. The affected software typically processes various document formats including proprietary Ichitaro formats and standard office document types, making the attack surface particularly broad given the software's enterprise adoption.
Technical analysis reveals that the vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory handling within the document parser components of these applications. When processing specially crafted documents containing malformed structures or malicious code sequences, the parsing engine fails to properly validate data boundaries and memory allocation patterns. This allows attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the context of the running application process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability operates through buffer overflow mechanisms or improper memory management techniques that have been classified under CWE-121, which deals with stack-based buffer overflow conditions. The attack requires no user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where document sharing is common.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass full system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access, deploy additional malware, or escalate privileges within the compromised environment. The vulnerability affects organizations using these specific office suite products in business settings, particularly those that frequently exchange documents with external parties or have less robust network security controls. Organizations may experience significant disruption to their operations, including potential data breaches, system downtime, and regulatory compliance issues. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to target systems, making it an attractive vector for cybercriminals and nation-state actors. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers legitimate credentials and privilege escalation methods, as successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive organizational data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-3916 should include immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches and updates to address the underlying parsing vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement network segmentation and document validation controls to prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious files. Security administrators should consider deploying application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of unauthorized code within the office suite environment. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining exposure risks. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of verifying document sources and avoiding opening untrusted files from unknown senders. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual document processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against similar document-based attack vectors.