CVE-2016-7290 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Word 2010 SP2, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, Word for Mac 2011, Word Automation Services on SharePoint Server 2010 SP2, and Office Web Apps 2010 SP2 allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from process memory or cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via a crafted document, aka "Microsoft Office Information Disclosure Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-7291.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2022
This vulnerability affects multiple Microsoft Office versions including Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Word 2010 SP2, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, Word for Mac 2011, Word Automation Services on SharePoint Server 2010 SP2, and Office Web Apps 2010 SP2. The flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when processing specially crafted documents, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these Microsoft Office applications. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-125, which represents out-of-bounds read flaws that can lead to information disclosure or system instability. This type of vulnerability allows attackers to read memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data from process memory.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of malformed document structures during the parsing process. When Microsoft Word encounters a crafted document with maliciously constructed elements, the application fails to properly validate input boundaries, resulting in memory access violations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by preparing documents containing specifically crafted data sequences that trigger the out-of-bounds read condition. This allows them to extract information from adjacent memory locations, potentially revealing sensitive data such as encryption keys, user credentials, or system configuration details.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to include potential denial of service conditions that can disrupt normal business operations. Organizations using affected Office versions may experience application crashes or system instability when processing malicious documents, leading to productivity losses and potential data accessibility issues. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers can deliver malicious documents through email attachments, web downloads, or shared network locations without requiring local system access. This makes the attack vector particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open documents from external sources.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) tactics. The information disclosure aspect can be leveraged by attackers to gather intelligence about target systems, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks. Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including timely patch deployment, email filtering solutions, and user education programs to reduce exposure risk. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in software development, particularly for applications handling untrusted document formats. Security teams should prioritize updating affected systems to prevent exploitation while monitoring for potential attack attempts targeting this specific flaw.