CVE-2012-4233 in LibreOffice
Summary
by MITRE
LibreOffice 3.5.x before 3.5.7.2 and 3.6.x before 3.6.1, and OpenOffice.org (OOo), allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via a crafted (1) odt file to vcllo.dll, (2) ODG (Drawing document) file to svxcorelo.dll, (3) PolyPolygon record in a .wmf (Window Meta File) file embedded in a ppt (PowerPoint) file to tllo.dll, or (4) xls (Excel) file to scfiltlo.dll.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4233 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org document processing components. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation within several core libraries responsible for handling different document formats. The flaw manifests as a NULL pointer dereference condition that occurs when these applications process specifically crafted malicious files, leading to application crashes and system instability. The affected versions include LibreOffice 3.5.x prior to 3.5.7.2 and 3.6.x prior to 3.6.1, as well as corresponding OpenOffice.org releases, making this a widespread issue affecting multiple document processing environments.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through four distinct attack vectors that target different core libraries within the office suite. The first vector involves crafted odt files processed by vcllo.dll, the second targets ODG drawing documents handled by svxcorelo.dll, the third exploits PolyPolygon records within .wmf files embedded in ppt presentations processed by tllo.dll, and the fourth involves malicious xls files processed by scfiltlo.dll. Each of these attack vectors demonstrates a common pattern of insufficient validation of input data structures, particularly when dealing with malformed or specially crafted metadata within document files. The underlying issue lies in the absence of proper NULL pointer checks before dereferencing pointers in the document parsing logic, which is classified under CWE-476 as NULL Pointer Dereference.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4233 extends beyond simple application crashes, potentially enabling attackers to disrupt business operations through sustained denial of service attacks. When exploited, these vulnerabilities can cause applications to become unresponsive or terminate unexpectedly, affecting productivity in environments where document processing is critical. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers can deliver malicious documents via email attachments, web downloads, or shared network resources without requiring local access to the target system. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open documents from external sources. The attack surface is broad due to the widespread use of both LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org across various operating systems and deployment scenarios, potentially affecting thousands of systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4233 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patch management. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to the patched versions of LibreOffice 3.5.7.2 and 3.6.1, as well as corresponding OpenOffice.org releases that contain the necessary fixes. System administrators should implement network-level controls to restrict access to potentially malicious file types, particularly those associated with the vulnerable components. The implementation of sandboxing techniques and restricted user permissions can help limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security awareness training for end users can reduce the risk of inadvertently opening malicious documents. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and demonstrates the importance of input validation controls as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten. The vulnerability also highlights the need for robust software quality assurance processes, particularly in open source projects where the rapid release cycle may sometimes introduce regressions in security controls.