CVE-2015-2470 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Integer underflow in Microsoft Office 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Office 2013 SP1, Office 2013 RT SP1, Office for Mac 2011, and Word Viewer allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted document, aka "Microsoft Office Integer Underflow Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2470 represents a critical integer underflow flaw affecting multiple versions of Microsoft Office software including Office 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Office 2013 SP1, Office 2013 RT SP1, Office for Mac 2011, and Word Viewer. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-191 category of Integer Underflow, where a signed integer is decremented below its minimum representable value, creating a condition that can be exploited by malicious actors. The flaw specifically resides within the Microsoft Office document processing engine, particularly in how it handles certain document structures and memory allocation calculations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a maliciously crafted document is processed by an affected Office application. When the application attempts to parse and render the crafted document, the integer underflow condition causes the application to allocate insufficient memory or manipulate memory pointers incorrectly. This memory corruption can be leveraged by remote attackers to overwrite critical memory locations, ultimately leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the targeted user. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through various document formats including doc, docx, and other Office file types that support complex formatting elements.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments where Office applications are widely used for document creation and sharing. Attackers can deliver malicious documents through email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites, making the attack vector highly accessible and potentially widespread. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual user systems to potentially compromise entire organizational networks, especially when users open documents from untrusted sources. Security professionals must recognize that successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within network environments.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2470 primarily focus on applying Microsoft's security patches and updates as soon as they become available. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all affected Office versions are updated promptly. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict document filtering policies, disabling automatic opening of attachments, and deploying email security solutions that can detect and block malicious Office documents. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can further reduce the attack surface by limiting which systems can process potentially malicious documents. Security teams should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring to detect anomalous activities that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including social engineering and drive-by downloads.
The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under techniques related to exploitation of remote services and execution of malicious code through document-based attacks. This aligns with the broader threat landscape where Office-based vulnerabilities are frequently used as initial access vectors in advanced persistent threat campaigns. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-layered security approaches that include endpoint protection, network monitoring, and user education to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing need for robust software security practices and regular security assessments to identify and remediate potential weaknesses in widely used applications.