CVE-2013-2189 in OpenOffice
Summary
by MITRE
Apache OpenOffice.org (OOo) before 4.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact via invalid PLCF data in a DOC document file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2021
Apache OpenOffice.org versions prior to 4.0 contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that arises from inadequate validation of PLCF (Paragraph Layout Control Format) data within DOC document files. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability category, which encompasses out-of-bounds read errors that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes malformed PLCF structures that contain invalid offsets or corrupted data pointers, causing the memory management system to attempt operations on invalid memory addresses. The vulnerability exists within the document parsing component that handles Microsoft Word DOC format files, where the application fails to properly validate the structure and bounds of PLCF data before attempting to access or process it. This memory corruption can result in application crashes, leading to denial of service conditions that prevent legitimate users from accessing or processing documents. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the memory corruption can potentially be leveraged to execute arbitrary code, making this a severe vulnerability that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate program execution and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where users frequently process documents from untrusted sources, as it can be exploited through social engineering attacks that deliver malicious DOC files containing crafted PLCF data. Attackers can construct specially formatted DOC documents that trigger the memory corruption when opened by vulnerable versions of OpenOffice.org, potentially allowing for remote code execution or complete system compromise. The root cause lies in the lack of proper bounds checking and input validation within the PLCF parsing routines, which are part of the legacy compatibility layer designed to support Microsoft Word document formats. Organizations using vulnerable versions of Apache OpenOffice.org should immediately implement patch management procedures to upgrade to version 4.0 or later, as this update includes comprehensive fixes for memory handling issues in document parsing components. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing document filtering policies that restrict the processing of untrusted DOC files or deploy sandboxing solutions that isolate document processing operations to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in document processing applications and highlights the risks associated with maintaining legacy code that lacks proper memory safety controls. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems that can identify suspicious document processing activities. This vulnerability represents a classic example of how legacy document format compatibility features can introduce security risks when not properly validated against malicious input, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing of file format parsers and the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions to protect against known exploits. The memory corruption vulnerability requires no user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it particularly dangerous for automated exploitation and widespread deployment across affected systems.