CVE-2015-2379 in Word
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Word 2010 SP2, Word 2013 SP1, Word 2013 RT SP1, Office for Mac 2011, and Word Viewer allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted Office document, aka "Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2022
The Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability CVE-2015-2379 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple versions of Microsoft Word and Office applications across different platforms and operating systems. This vulnerability resides within the document processing engine of Microsoft Office applications, specifically targeting the way these applications handle malformed or specially crafted Office documents. The flaw enables remote attackers to exploit memory corruption issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions when legitimate users open maliciously crafted documents. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Microsoft Office versions including Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Word 2010 SP2, Word 2013 SP1, Word 2013 RT SP1, Office for Mac 2011, and Word Viewer, making it particularly dangerous due to its widespread impact across different product lines and versions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory handling within Microsoft Office's document parsing mechanisms. When processing specially crafted Office documents, the applications fail to properly validate the structure and content of the files, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited by attackers. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when applications do not adequately check buffer boundaries or memory allocation limits during document processing. The flaw can be categorized under CWE-125, which describes "Out-of-bounds Read" conditions, and potentially CWE-787, "Out-of-bounds Write," as the memory corruption manifests through improper memory handling during document parsing operations. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction, as simply opening a malicious document can trigger the memory corruption, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or targeted attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2379 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include full system compromise capabilities for attackers. When successfully exploited, this vulnerability allows remote code execution with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable Office application, potentially enabling attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Office versions and platforms creates a broad attack surface, making it attractive to threat actors seeking maximum impact with minimal effort. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face significant risk as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, and malicious documents shared through collaboration platforms. The memory corruption aspect also means that systems may experience unexpected crashes or instability, leading to denial of service conditions that can disrupt business operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2379 require immediate action from organizations to address the vulnerability through official Microsoft security updates and patches. Microsoft released security bulletins addressing this vulnerability, and organizations should prioritize applying these patches to all affected systems. Additional defensive measures include implementing email filtering solutions to block malicious Office documents, disabling automatic opening of attachments, and educating users about the risks of opening unknown or unexpected Office documents. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can help limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Organizations should also monitor for indicators of compromise including unusual network traffic patterns, unexpected system crashes, or unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1204.002, "User Execution: Malicious File," as it relies on users opening malicious documents to achieve exploitation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure all systems remain protected against similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that may emerge in the future.