CVE-2016-0120 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
The Adobe Type Manager Library in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows 10 Gold and 1511 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (system hang) via a crafted OpenType font, aka "OpenType Font Parsing Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0120 represents a critical flaw in the Adobe Type Manager Library component within Microsoft Windows operating systems, affecting a broad range of platforms from Windows Vista to Windows 10. This vulnerability specifically manifests during the processing of OpenType font files, which are widely used for typography and font rendering across various applications and systems. The flaw enables remote attackers to trigger a system hang condition that effectively results in a denial of service, rendering affected systems unusable until manual intervention or system restart occurs.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation and memory handling within the Adobe Type Manager Library when processing malformed OpenType font files. The library fails to adequately validate the structure and content of font files before attempting to parse and render them, creating opportunities for attackers to craft specially designed font files that contain malicious or malformed data structures. When the system attempts to process these crafted fonts, typically through applications that utilize the Windows font rendering subsystem, the library's parsing routines encounter unexpected data patterns that cause memory corruption or infinite loop conditions, ultimately leading to system hangs and denial of service.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it affects the fundamental font rendering capabilities of Windows systems and can be exploited remotely through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious websites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because OpenType fonts are commonly used across different applications and system components, meaning that a single malicious font file could potentially compromise multiple applications and system services. Additionally, the vulnerability affects both client and server operating systems, making it a significant concern for enterprise environments where Windows servers and workstations may be simultaneously exposed to this threat.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of length of input buffers, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-125, improper access to memory beyond the boundaries of a buffer. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Windows Scripting and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as attackers can leverage the denial of service condition to potentially escalate privileges or execute additional malicious code. The attack surface is extensive given that Windows systems automatically process fonts during normal operations, and applications frequently load and display font information without proper input sanitization.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of security patches provided by Microsoft, specifically addressing the Adobe Type Manager Library component. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of critical systems to potentially malicious font files, while also deploying application whitelisting solutions to prevent execution of unauthorized font processing applications. System administrators should consider disabling automatic font loading in applications that do not require advanced typography features, and implement regular security monitoring to detect unusual font processing activities. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted font files, and organizations should establish procedures for safely handling font files received through email or downloaded from external sources, implementing proper sandboxing and file validation techniques before allowing system processing of any font content.