CVE-2014-1809 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
The MSCOMCTL library in Microsoft Office 2007 SP3, 2010 SP1 and SP2, and 2013 Gold, SP1, RT, and RT SP1 makes it easier for remote attackers to bypass the ASLR protection mechanism via a crafted web site, as exploited in the wild in May 2014, aka "MSCOMCTL ASLR Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2024
The MSCOMCTL ASLR vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Microsoft Office's component library that fundamentally undermines operating system security mechanisms. This vulnerability specifically affects Microsoft Office 2007 SP3, 2010 SP1 and SP2, and 2013 Gold, SP1, RT, and RT SP1 versions, making them susceptible to sophisticated exploitation techniques that bypass essential security protections. The vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during May 2014, demonstrating its real-world impact and the urgency of addressing such flaws in enterprise environments. The attack vector involves crafted websites that leverage the MSCOMCTL library to execute malicious code while circumventing address space layout randomization protections.
The technical flaw resides in how the MSCOMCTL library handles memory layout and process address space management within Microsoft Office applications. When users visit malicious websites that trigger specific code paths within this library, the vulnerability allows attackers to predict memory addresses that would normally be randomized by ASLR protection mechanisms. This occurs through a combination of information disclosure and memory manipulation techniques that exploit predictable memory layouts within the library's implementation. The vulnerability specifically targets the way the library manages COM component loading and memory allocation, creating predictable address patterns that attackers can leverage for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to represent a fundamental weakening of system security posture. Attackers can use this vulnerability to bypass multiple layers of security protection including ASLR, DEP, and stack canaries, making it significantly easier to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The exploitation process typically involves crafting malicious web content that loads the vulnerable MSCOMCTL component and then uses information leakage to determine memory layout patterns. This vulnerability enables attackers to perform privilege escalation attacks, install malware, and potentially gain full system control without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
Security professionals should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that include immediate patch deployment for all affected Office versions, network-based protections through web filtering and sandboxing solutions, and enhanced monitoring for suspicious web traffic patterns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and script interpreter usage and T1070 for indicator removal on host, as attackers often use this vulnerability to establish persistent access and cover their tracks. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as disabling ActiveX controls, implementing strict browser security policies, and deploying application whitelisting solutions to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.
The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the dangers of relying solely on network-based protections when dealing with complex software vulnerabilities. This flaw represents a classic example of how seemingly minor component vulnerabilities can have major security implications, particularly when they affect widely deployed software like Microsoft Office. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-121 and CWE-122 highlights the memory corruption and buffer overflow aspects that make this particularly dangerous. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training to help users recognize potentially malicious websites and avoid visiting compromised content that could trigger this vulnerability.