CVE-2012-2665 in LibreOffice
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple heap-based buffer overflows in the XML manifest encryption tag parsing functionality in OpenOffice.org and LibreOffice before 3.5.5 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted Open Document Text (.odt) file with (1) a child tag within an incorrect parent tag, (2) duplicate tags, or (3) a Base64 ChecksumAttribute whose length is not evenly divisible by four.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2665 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow issue affecting OpenOffice.org and LibreOffice versions prior to 3.5.5. This flaw resides within the XML manifest encryption tag parsing functionality, which is responsible for processing the metadata and encryption information contained in OpenDocument Format files. The vulnerability manifests when these applications encounter specially crafted OpenDocument Text (.odt) files that manipulate the structure of XML manifest tags. The security implications are severe as this vulnerability can be exploited remotely through malicious file attachments, making it particularly dangerous in email-based attack scenarios where users might inadvertently open compromised documents.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through three distinct attack vectors that all leverage malformed XML manifest structures. The first vector involves placing child tags within incorrect parent tags, which causes the parsing logic to incorrectly calculate memory allocations and subsequently overflow heap buffers. The second vector exploits duplicate tags within the manifest structure, leading to memory corruption when the parser attempts to process multiple instances of the same tag. The third vector targets the Base64 ChecksumAttribute field, where the length validation fails when the attribute contains a Base64 string whose length is not evenly divisible by four, creating a scenario where the parser attempts to read beyond allocated memory boundaries. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow, which is categorized under the Common Weakness Enumeration as a fundamental memory safety issue.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2665 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enabling remote code execution, making it a particularly dangerous vulnerability for enterprise environments. When exploited successfully, attackers can cause applications to crash or, more critically, inject and execute malicious code within the context of the user's privileges. This represents a significant threat in corporate settings where users might receive legitimate-looking documents from trusted sources, and the vulnerability can be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks. The attack surface is broad as the vulnerability affects both OpenOffice.org and LibreOffice, which are widely deployed across various operating systems and platforms, making it a prime target for mass exploitation campaigns.
Organizations and users should immediately implement mitigations that include updating to OpenOffice.org 3.5.5 or later versions, or LibreOffice 3.5.5 and newer releases where this vulnerability has been patched. System administrators should also consider implementing email filtering solutions that can detect and quarantine suspicious .odt files, particularly those with malformed XML structures. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening documents from untrusted sources and should be trained to verify document authenticity before opening potentially malicious files. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in document processing applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1203 which involves exploiting software vulnerabilities to gain system access. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, including unusual process behavior and memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.