CVE-2016-0134 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Word 2010 SP2, Word 2013 SP1, Word 2013 RT SP1, Word 2016, Word for Mac 2011, Word 2016 for Mac, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, Word Viewer, Word Automation Services on SharePoint Server 2010 SP2 and 2013 SP1, Office Web Apps 2010 SP2, and Web Apps Server 2013 SP1 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Office document, aka "Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Office applications that affects multiple versions of Word and related Office components. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of specially crafted Office documents that trigger memory corruption during document processing. Attackers can exploit this weakness by embedding malicious code within seemingly legitimate Office documents, which when opened by vulnerable applications can lead to arbitrary code execution on the target system. The vulnerability specifically impacts Microsoft Word 2007 SP3 through Word 2016 across various platforms including Windows and Mac operating systems, as well as SharePoint Server and Office Web Apps environments. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where programs access memory locations beyond the intended boundaries. The flaw operates at the memory management level where Office applications fail to properly validate input data structures within Office document formats, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents and execute malicious payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise and potential lateral movement within networks. When exploited, the memory corruption allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems and potentially escalate privileges to higher levels of system control. The vulnerability's widespread impact across multiple Office versions and deployment scenarios makes it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where Office documents are frequently shared and opened. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through various delivery mechanisms including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious Office documents hosted on compromised websites. The exploitation typically requires social engineering to convince users to open the malicious documents, but once opened, the vulnerability can be leveraged for complete system compromise. Organizations using affected versions of Office applications face significant risk exposure, especially in environments where users have limited security awareness or where document sharing occurs frequently across different network segments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require a multi-layered approach combining immediate patch management with defensive security measures. Microsoft released security updates that address the memory corruption issue by improving input validation and memory handling within Office document processing routines. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of these patches across all affected systems, particularly in high-risk environments such as enterprise networks where Office documents are extensively used. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict email filtering policies to block suspicious Office documents, deploying application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of untrusted Office applications, and enabling macro security settings to prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious code. Network-based defenses such as intrusion detection systems and web proxies can help identify and block attempts to deliver malicious Office documents. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1204.002 which involves social engineering through malicious documents, making user awareness training essential alongside technical controls. Security teams should also consider implementing sandboxing environments for document processing and regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations must maintain comprehensive inventory tracking of all Office installations to ensure complete remediation across their enterprise infrastructure.