CVE-2012-5672 in Excel
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Excel Viewer (aka Xlview.exe) and Excel in Microsoft Office 2007 (aka Office 12) allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (read access violation and application crash) via a crafted spreadsheet file, as demonstrated by a .xls file with battery voltage data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5672 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Microsoft Excel Viewer and Microsoft Office 2007 applications. This weakness specifically targets the spreadsheet parsing functionality within these Microsoft Office components, creating a scenario where maliciously crafted spreadsheet files can trigger application instability and system crashes. The vulnerability manifests when these applications attempt to process specially designed .xls files containing battery voltage data, which serves as the exploit vector for triggering the underlying memory corruption issue.
This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the Excel parsing engine, where the application fails to properly handle malformed or unexpected data structures in spreadsheet files. The technical flaw operates at the level of memory access violations, specifically causing read access violations that result in application crashes. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read condition, where the Excel application attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries when processing the malicious spreadsheet data. This type of memory corruption vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely without requiring user interaction beyond opening the malicious file.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5672 extends beyond simple application instability, potentially disrupting business operations and productivity in environments where Microsoft Office is extensively used. Organizations relying on Excel Viewer or Office 2007 for document processing and analysis face significant risk of service interruption when encountering malicious files. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, and file sharing platforms, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently open compromised spreadsheet files. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can deliver the malicious payload without requiring physical access to target systems, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate system exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches and updates, as well as implementing robust email filtering and file validation mechanisms. Organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of potentially malicious files and establish secure document handling procedures. Network administrators should configure firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious file transfers and implement sandboxing techniques for processing untrusted spreadsheet files. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and maintaining up-to-date software inventory to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across the enterprise environment. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should emphasize the risks of opening untrusted spreadsheet files, particularly those received via email or downloaded from unverified sources, to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation attempts.