CVE-2014-4117 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Office 2007 SP3, Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP1 and SP2, Word 2010 SP1 and SP2, Office for Mac 2011, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, Word Automation Services on SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 and SP2, and Word Web Apps 2010 Gold, SP1, and SP2 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted properties in a Word document, aka "Microsoft Word File Format Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4117 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within Microsoft Office applications that has significant implications for enterprise security environments. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of Microsoft Office including Office 2007 SP3, Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP1 and SP2, Word 2010 SP1 and SP2, Office for Mac 2011, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, Word Automation Services on SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 and SP2, and Word Web Apps 2010 Gold, SP1, and SP2. The flaw specifically resides in the handling of crafted properties within Word documents, creating a dangerous attack surface that allows remote adversaries to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages the trust users place in Microsoft Office applications and can be exploited through seemingly legitimate document attachments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of file format properties within Microsoft Word documents. When a user opens a maliciously crafted Word document, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate specific properties contained within the document structure. This inadequate input validation creates a condition where attacker-controlled data can influence the execution flow of the application, ultimately leading to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability manifests as a buffer overflow or memory corruption issue that occurs during the parsing of malformed document properties, allowing attackers to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable Office application. This flaw maps directly to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities, and CWE-787, which addresses out-of-bounds write conditions.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4117 extends far beyond individual system compromise, creating substantial risks for enterprise networks and organizations that rely heavily on Microsoft Office productivity suites. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through various delivery mechanisms including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious documents hosted on compromised websites. Once successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to gain full control of the affected system, potentially leading to data theft, privilege escalation, and lateral movement within the network. The widespread adoption of Microsoft Office across enterprise environments means that a single compromised system can serve as a foothold for broader attacks, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in large organizations where Office applications are frequently used. The attack vector is especially insidious because it requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it susceptible to social engineering campaigns and phishing attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4117 should implement multiple layers of defense to protect against exploitation attempts. Organizations should prioritize immediate installation of Microsoft security updates and patches that address this vulnerability, as the vendor released specific fixes for all affected versions. Network segmentation and email filtering solutions should be enhanced to detect and block suspicious Word document attachments, particularly those with unusual file extensions or embedded malicious content. Implementing application whitelisting policies can prevent unauthorized executables from running on systems, reducing the effectiveness of exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify systems running unpatched versions of Microsoft Office, while monitoring for suspicious document handling activities. From an operational perspective, user education programs should emphasize the dangers of opening unexpected document attachments, and incident response procedures should be updated to include specific protocols for handling potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and following the principle of least privilege in enterprise environments, as described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the execution and privilege escalation tactics. Organizations should also consider implementing advanced threat detection solutions that can identify anomalous behavior patterns associated with exploitation attempts, providing additional protection against zero-day exploitation attempts.