CVE-2011-1982 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Office 2007 SP2, and 2010 Gold and SP1, does not initialize an unspecified object pointer during the opening of Word documents, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted document, aka "Office Uninitialized Object Pointer Vulnerability."
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1982 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2 and Office 2010 Gold and Service Pack 1 versions. This issue stems from improper initialization of object pointers within the Word document processing engine, creating a predictable memory access pattern that malicious actors can exploit to gain unauthorized code execution capabilities. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the parsing and rendering of Word documents, making it particularly dangerous in email attachment scenarios where users might inadvertently open malicious files.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions in software applications. When Microsoft Office processes a crafted Word document, the application fails to properly initialize certain object pointers before attempting to access them, resulting in a situation where the program may attempt to execute code from an unpredictable memory location. This uninitialized pointer behavior creates a window of opportunity for attackers to manipulate the program flow through carefully constructed malicious documents that trigger the vulnerable code path. The flaw essentially allows attackers to control the execution environment by forcing the application to jump to arbitrary memory addresses where malicious code has been strategically placed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a complete foothold for further compromise within affected systems. According to ATT&CK framework technique T1203, this vulnerability enables initial access through malicious document delivery, while the successful exploitation can lead to privilege escalation and lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no user interaction beyond opening a malicious document, making it an ideal candidate for spear-phishing campaigns and targeted attacks. The remote execution capability means attackers can compromise systems from afar without physical access, and the fact that it affects widely deployed Office versions makes it attractive for mass exploitation campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-1982 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Microsoft, as the vendor released security updates specifically addressing this vulnerability through Microsoft Security Bulletin MS11-046. Organizations should implement defensive measures such as disabling automatic document opening in email clients, implementing strict file type validation, and deploying application whitelisting solutions to prevent execution of untrusted Office documents. Network-based protections including email filtering systems that scan for suspicious document patterns and network segmentation can further reduce the attack surface. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual Office process behavior and memory access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while regular vulnerability assessments should verify that all Office installations have been properly updated to eliminate this attack vector from organizational threat models.