CVE-2013-1335 in Word 2003
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Word 2003 SP3 and Word Viewer allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted shape data in a Word document, aka "Word Shape Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2024
The CVE-2013-1335 vulnerability represents a critical remote code execution flaw in Microsoft Word 2003 Service Pack 3 and Word Viewer applications. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of shape data within Microsoft Word documents, creating a pathway for attackers to inject and execute malicious code on vulnerable systems. The flaw specifically affects the parsing mechanism that processes shape objects within word processing documents, where insufficient input validation allows crafted malicious data to trigger unexpected behavior in the application's memory management.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a user opens a specially crafted Word document containing malformed shape data. The vulnerability resides in the way Word handles certain geometric shape properties and their associated metadata, where the application fails to properly validate the size and structure of shape data before processing it. This improper validation creates a buffer overflow condition or memory corruption scenario that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the logged-on user. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities, both of which are common in memory corruption flaws.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations relying on legacy Word 2003 systems or Word Viewer installations. The attack vector requires user interaction through opening a malicious document, making it particularly dangerous in social engineering campaigns where users might be tricked into opening seemingly legitimate documents. The remote execution capability means attackers can deploy malware, establish backdoors, or escalate privileges without requiring local system access. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1204.002, which covers "User Execution: Malicious File," and T1059, which addresses "Command and Scripting Interpreter" as attackers can execute commands through the compromised application.
The exploitation of CVE-2013-1335 demonstrates the persistent challenges associated with legacy software support and the risks of running outdated applications in enterprise environments. Organizations using Word 2003 SP3 or Word Viewer are particularly vulnerable as these products have reached end-of-life and no longer receive security updates from Microsoft. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual systems to potentially compromise entire networks if exploited successfully, as attackers can establish persistent access through the executed malicious code. Effective mitigation strategies include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches, implementation of email filtering rules to block suspicious documents, and user education to prevent opening untrusted attachments. Additionally, network segmentation and application whitelisting can help reduce the attack surface and limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.