CVE-2011-10015 in Studio
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2025
Cytel Studio version 9.0 and earlier is vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow triggered by parsing a malformed .CY3 file. The vulnerability occurs when the application copies user-controlled strings into a fixed-size stack buffer (256 bytes) without proper bounds checking. Exploitation allows arbitrary code execution when the crafted file is opened.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-10015 affects Cytel Studio version 9.0 and earlier, representing a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw that undermines the application's security posture. This issue arises from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the software's file parsing functionality, specifically when processing .CY3 files that contain malformed data structures. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental programming error where user-controlled input is directly copied into a fixed-size stack buffer of only 256 bytes without any bounds checking or length validation measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic stack buffer overflow condition that occurs during the parsing of structured data files. When Cytel Studio encounters a malformed .CY3 file, the application's parsing routine fails to validate the length of incoming strings before copying them into the predetermined 256-byte stack buffer. This lack of proper boundary checking creates an exploitable condition where an attacker can craft malicious input that exceeds the buffer capacity, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten. The stack-based nature of this vulnerability means that the overflow affects the program's call stack, potentially corrupting return addresses and other critical execution data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption, as it enables full arbitrary code execution within the context of the affected application. When a user opens a specially crafted .CY3 file, the buffer overflow allows an attacker to overwrite the stack memory in a controlled manner, potentially redirecting program execution flow to malicious code injected into the buffer. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions. The exploitation potential makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users might encounter untrusted files, as it transforms a simple file opening operation into a potential system compromise.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to organizations using Cytel Studio for statistical analysis and data processing tasks. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability can be triggered through simple file interaction, requiring no specialized knowledge or privileged access beyond the ability to create or deliver malicious files. The exploitation techniques employed in such buffer overflow scenarios often map to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Visual Basic, as attackers may leverage the application's legitimate file processing capabilities to execute malicious code. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including software updates to versions that address this buffer overflow, user education to avoid opening untrusted files, and network-based restrictions to prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious .CY3 files.
The remediation approach for CVE-2011-10015 requires immediate patching of affected Cytel Studio installations to version 9.1 or later, which contains the necessary bounds checking and input validation fixes. System administrators should also consider implementing file execution restrictions, particularly for .CY3 files from untrusted sources, and deploy intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious file parsing activities. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in all software applications and demonstrates how seemingly minor coding oversights can create significant security risks. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their software ecosystems to identify similar buffer overflow conditions in other applications, as this type of flaw is commonly found in legacy software systems that have not undergone proper security auditing and code review processes.