CVE-2017-14294 in STDU Viewer
Summary
by MITRE
STDU Viewer 1.6.375 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service via a crafted .jb2 file, related to a "User Mode Write AV starting at STDUJBIG2File!DllUnregisterServer+0x000000000000566e."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14294 affects STDU Viewer version 1.6.375, a document viewing application that processes various file formats including the Joint Bi-level Image Group 2 format known as .jb2 files. This particular flaw represents a critical security issue that could enable remote code execution or system denial of service when processing maliciously crafted input files. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations within the application's processing of .jb2 formatted documents, specifically during the unregistration phase of the STDUJBIG2File.dll component.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in a user mode write access violation that occurs at the memory address STDUJBIG2File!DllUnregisterServer+0x000000000000566e. This memory access violation indicates that the application fails to properly validate or sanitize input data when processing .jb2 files, leading to a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite memory locations that should remain protected. Such memory corruption vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous as they can be exploited to execute arbitrary code within the context of the running application, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability manifests during the DLL unregistration process, suggesting that the flaw occurs when the application attempts to clean up or release resources associated with the .jb2 file processing functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass potential remote code execution capabilities that could be leveraged by malicious actors. When a user opens a specially crafted .jb2 file, the application's memory management routines fail to properly handle the malformed input, resulting in memory corruption that can be exploited to inject and execute malicious code. This represents a significant risk to organizations that may unknowingly process compromised documents, particularly in environments where users have access to untrusted file sources. The vulnerability affects systems where STDU Viewer is installed and actively processes .jb2 formatted documents, making it a widespread concern for any organization utilizing this specific document viewer software.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses categorized under CWE-121, which deals with stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under T1203, which covers Exploitation for Client Execution, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code on target systems through document processing. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to the latest version of STDU Viewer that addresses this memory corruption issue, while also implementing network segmentation and file validation controls to prevent processing of untrusted .jb2 files. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of opening unknown or untrusted document files remains crucial in mitigating potential exploitation attempts.