CVE-2011-5167 in Hyperion Strategic Finance
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the SetDevNames method of the Tidestone Formula One ActiveX control (TTF16.ocx) 6.3.5 Build 1 in Oracle Hyperion Strategic Finance 12.x and possibly earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long string to the DriverName parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-5167 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw within the Tidestone Formula One ActiveX control component of Oracle Hyperion Strategic Finance 12.x and potentially earlier versions. This vulnerability specifically affects the SetDevNames method of the TTF16.ocx ActiveX control, which is designed to manage device names and driver configurations within the financial planning and analysis software suite. The flaw manifests when a maliciously crafted string is passed to the DriverName parameter, causing the application to write beyond the allocated memory boundaries of the heap allocation. This heap-based buffer overflow creates an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system with the privileges of the affected application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the ActiveX control's SetDevNames method. When processing the DriverName parameter, the control fails to properly bounds-check the input string length before copying it into a fixed-size memory buffer allocated on the heap. This allows an attacker to overflow the buffer and overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow or injecting malicious code. The vulnerability is classified as a heap overflow due to the nature of the memory allocation and access patterns involved in the ActiveX control's implementation, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through web-based attacks when the control is loaded in Internet Explorer or other browsers that support ActiveX components. The flaw aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and represents a classic example of how ActiveX controls can become attack vectors when not properly secured against malformed input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it enables remote code execution capabilities that can be leveraged for complete system compromise. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to financial data systems, potentially leading to data breaches, financial fraud, or disruption of business operations within organizations using Oracle Hyperion Strategic Finance. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target systems without requiring local access, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where such financial planning tools are commonly deployed. Organizations using this software are at risk of having their financial planning systems compromised, potentially leading to unauthorized modifications of financial data, theft of sensitive business information, or use of the compromised systems as launch points for further attacks within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability affects the broader ATT&CK framework category of Execution through the use of ActiveX controls and Remote Services, with potential for privilege escalation and lateral movement within affected networks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5167 should focus on immediate remediation through patching the affected Oracle Hyperion Strategic Finance components to the latest available versions that contain fixes for this buffer overflow vulnerability. Organizations should also implement browser security measures such as disabling ActiveX controls in web browsers, particularly in Internet Explorer environments where such controls are commonly loaded. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation by restricting access to systems running the vulnerable software. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual network activity or attempts to access the vulnerable ActiveX control through web interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper input validation in enterprise software components, as well as the need for regular security assessments of third-party components integrated into critical business applications. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted ActiveX controls and maintain comprehensive vulnerability management programs to identify and remediate similar issues in other enterprise software components.