CVE-2012-0985 in VAIO
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in the Wireless Manager ActiveX control 4.0.0.0 in WifiMan.dll in Sony VAIO PC Wireless LAN Wizard 1.0; VAIO Wireless Wizard 1.00, 1.00_64, 1.0.1, 2.0, and 3.0; SmartWi Connection Utility 4.7, 4.7.4, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, and 4.11; and VAIO Easy Connect software 1.0.0 and 1.1.0 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long string in the second argument of the (1) SetTmpProfileOption or (2) ConnectToNetwork method.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0985 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Sony VAIO wireless management software components that affects multiple versions of wireless utility applications. This issue resides in the WifiMan.dll ActiveX control version 4.0.0.0 and impacts various Sony VAIO wireless wizard implementations including the VAIO PC Wireless LAN Wizard 1.0, VAIO Wireless Wizard across several versions, SmartWi Connection Utility with multiple releases, and VAIO Easy Connect software. The flaw manifests through improper input validation in the wireless configuration management interface, creating a significant security risk for affected systems. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which occurs when a program writes data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries in memory. This specific implementation flaw affects the SetTmpProfileOption and ConnectToNetwork methods where the second argument parameter is processed without adequate length validation, allowing attackers to inject excessive data that overflows the designated memory buffer.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables remote attackers to trigger system instability through carefully crafted input strings that exceed buffer capacity limits. When the wireless management software processes these oversized strings, the buffer overflow causes memory corruption that typically results in application crashes or system hangs, leading to denial of service conditions. However, the vulnerability's potential extends beyond simple service disruption as the memory corruption can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code within the context of the running application. This capability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting ActiveX component execution paths. The flaw particularly affects systems where these wireless management utilities are installed with default security configurations, making them susceptible to exploitation without requiring elevated privileges. The buffer overflow occurs in the wireless connection management functionality where user input is directly processed without proper bounds checking, creating a predictable execution path for malicious input injection.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0985 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass potential system compromise and unauthorized code execution. Organizations running affected Sony VAIO software configurations face significant risk of unauthorized access through this vulnerability, particularly in environments where wireless network management is critical for system operations. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can potentially compromise systems without physical access or local network presence, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments. Security professionals should note that the affected software typically runs with elevated privileges due to its system management functions, which amplifies the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability affects multiple software versions across different Sony VAIO product lines, indicating a widespread issue that requires comprehensive remediation efforts. Network administrators must consider the implications for wireless infrastructure management and the potential for attackers to establish persistent access through compromised wireless management utilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0985 should prioritize immediate software updates from Sony as the primary remediation approach, though many of these legacy applications may no longer receive support updates. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit access to wireless management utilities and disable unnecessary ActiveX controls in web browsers. The implementation of application whitelisting policies can prevent execution of vulnerable components, while regular security assessments should identify all installations of affected software across the enterprise network. Organizations should also consider disabling the wireless wizard functionality entirely if it is not required for operations, as this eliminates the attack surface entirely. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious ActiveX control usage patterns and anomalous network connection attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and buffer management in system utilities, particularly those with elevated privileges and network access capabilities. Given the age of these vulnerable applications and their widespread deployment, organizations should develop comprehensive remediation plans that include both immediate protective measures and long-term migration strategies away from legacy wireless management solutions. The vulnerability also underscores the need for regular security assessments of installed software components and the importance of maintaining updated security patches for all system utilities.