CVE-2013-1301 in Visio
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Visio 2003 SP3 2007 SP3, and 2010 SP1 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via an XML document containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, aka "XML External Entities Resolution Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1301 represents a critical XML external entity resolution flaw affecting Microsoft Visio 2003 SP3, Visio 2007 SP3, and Visio 2010 SP1 applications. This vulnerability stems from the improper handling of XML documents that contain external entity declarations, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the software's XML parser. The flaw specifically manifests when Visio processes XML documents that include entity declarations referencing external resources, allowing attackers to construct malicious XML payloads that can trigger unauthorized file access patterns. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-611, which specifically addresses improper restriction of XML external entity reference, a well-documented weakness that has plagued numerous software applications over the years. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to perform unauthorized file system access, potentially leading to information disclosure, privilege escalation, or further system compromise. The attack vector requires the victim to open a specially crafted Visio document containing the malicious XML structure, making this a typical social engineering target that leverages user trust in document processing applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the XML parser's behavior when encountering external entity declarations within Visio's document processing pipeline. When Visio encounters an XML document containing an external entity reference, it fails to properly restrict or validate the external resource access, allowing the parser to resolve entities that point to local files or network resources. Attackers can construct XML documents that reference sensitive system files such as configuration files, credential stores, or other confidential data located within the system's file structure. The vulnerability operates through the standard XML parsing mechanisms that Visio employs to process document metadata, templates, and embedded content, making it particularly dangerous because legitimate Visio documents often contain XML elements that could be manipulated to include malicious external references. This flaw aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1566, which describes the use of malicious documents to gain initial access to target systems, and specifically relates to the T1059.007 sub-technique involving the execution of commands through XML external entity attacks. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it can potentially allow attackers to extract sensitive data, access restricted files, or even execute arbitrary code depending on the system configuration and file permissions.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1301 is significant within enterprise environments where Visio is commonly used for diagramming and document creation tasks. Organizations that have not patched this vulnerability face potential exposure to attackers who can leverage this weakness to access sensitive business documents, system configuration files, or other confidential information stored on systems where Visio is installed. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local system access to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper XML parser configuration and input validation, as many applications that process XML content are susceptible to similar flaws. The risk assessment for this vulnerability should consider both the potential for data exfiltration and the possibility of further exploitation through the information gained from accessing local files. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management strategies to address this vulnerability, as Microsoft has released security updates for all affected versions of Visio. The vulnerability also highlights the need for network segmentation and user education to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation through social engineering attacks that deliver malicious Visio documents to unsuspecting users. This particular flaw underscores the broader security challenge of XML processing in enterprise applications and the critical need for developers to implement proper input validation and secure parser configurations to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other software systems.