CVE-2010-3957 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
Double free vulnerability in the OpenType Font (OTF) driver in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted OpenType font, aka "OpenType Font Double Free Vulnerability."
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The CVE-2010-3957 vulnerability represents a critical double free error in Microsoft Windows operating systems' OpenType Font driver implementation. This flaw exists within the font processing subsystem that handles OpenType font files, which are widely used for high-quality typography in Windows environments. The vulnerability affects multiple Windows versions including XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2, as well as Windows 7, making it particularly dangerous due to its widespread impact across the Windows ecosystem. The double free condition occurs when the font driver improperly handles memory allocation and deallocation during the processing of maliciously crafted OpenType font files, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited by local attackers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting a specially designed OpenType font file that triggers the double free condition when processed by the Windows font subsystem. When the vulnerable system attempts to render or process this malicious font, the font driver allocates memory for font data structures, processes the font, and then incorrectly frees the same memory block twice. This memory management error creates a state where freed memory can be manipulated by an attacker, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically targets the Windows font driver's handling of OpenType font files, which are commonly used in Windows applications, web browsers, and system interfaces, making exploitation relatively straightforward through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or local file execution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments as it allows local users to escalate privileges from standard user level to system level access. The double free condition in the font driver creates a memory corruption scenario that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively compromising the entire system. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through various means including malicious email attachments, web-based attacks, or by placing malicious font files in shared directories that are subsequently processed by the Windows font subsystem. The impact extends beyond individual systems as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data theft, and lateral movement within network environments. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-415 which describes improper double-free conditions in memory management, and represents a classic example of how font processing libraries can become attack surfaces for privilege escalation.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-3957 primarily focus on applying Microsoft security updates and patches that address the memory management issues in the OpenType font driver. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the relevant Windows security patches released by Microsoft to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, system administrators should implement application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of font files from untrusted sources, disable unnecessary font rendering features, and monitor system logs for suspicious font processing activities. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security assessments should verify that systems are properly patched and configured to prevent unauthorized font file execution. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining current security practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege, as demonstrated through ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques that leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities in system libraries. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous font processing activities that may indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's impact spans across multiple Windows versions and attack vectors, requiring comprehensive security measures to protect against potential exploitation.