CVE-2015-6118 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Office 2007 SP3 and Office 2010 SP2 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Office document, aka "Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6118 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 and Office 2010 Service Pack 2 installations. This vulnerability resides within the Office document parsing engine and specifically targets how these applications handle malformed Office documents. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious Office files that, when opened by an affected system, can trigger arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the Office application's document processing components, creating a pathway for attackers to bypass normal security controls and execute malicious payloads directly on target systems.
This memory corruption vulnerability operates through a classic buffer overflow mechanism where crafted Office documents contain malicious data structures that cause the application to write beyond allocated memory boundaries. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through various Office document formats including .doc, .xls, and .ppt files, making it highly versatile for attackers seeking to compromise systems. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which falls within the broader category of memory safety issues that have historically been the primary attack surface for remote code execution exploits. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute malicious code with the privileges of the targeted user, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6118 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass full system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to install backdoors, steal sensitive information, and maintain persistent access to compromised systems. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can deliver malicious documents through email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites without requiring physical access to target systems. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as attackers can leverage the compromised Office application to execute malicious commands and scripts. The widespread adoption of Office 2007 and Office 2010 across enterprise environments made this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it affected numerous organizations that had not yet migrated to newer versions.
Organizations affected by CVE-2015-6118 should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Microsoft security updates, deploying application whitelisting policies, and implementing email filtering solutions to prevent malicious Office documents from reaching end users. The vulnerability's exploitation requires user interaction through opening malicious documents, making user education and awareness programs crucial defensive measures. Network segmentation and endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious Office process behaviors and anomalous network communications. Additionally, organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify systems running unpatched versions of Office 2007 or Office 2010, as these systems remain at high risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software patches and implementing layered security controls to protect against memory corruption exploits that have been prevalent in enterprise environments for many years.