CVE-2017-14544 in STDU Viewer
Summary
by MITRE
STDU Viewer 1.6.375 allows attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted .epub file, related to "Data from Faulting Address is used as one or more arguments in a subsequent Function Call starting at STDUEPubFile!DllUnregisterServer+0x000000000003fff1."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14544 affects STDU Viewer version 1.6.375, a document viewing application that processes various file formats including epub publications. This weakness represents a critical memory corruption issue that can be exploited through maliciously crafted epub files, potentially leading to system instability or arbitrary code execution. The flaw manifests when the application processes malformed data within the epub container structure, specifically during the handling of file registration components.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation and memory management within the STDUEPubFile.dll module. When processing a specially crafted epub file, the application fails to properly validate data integrity at the faulting address location, leading to a situation where corrupted data from the malicious input is subsequently used as arguments in function calls. This particular execution path begins at the DllUnregisterServer function, where the application attempts to clean up registered components but encounters invalid data that causes unpredictable behavior. The vulnerability follows a classic buffer overflow pattern where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to manipulate memory layout and execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the unspecified other impacts could include arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, or information disclosure. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting epub files that contain malicious data structures designed to trigger the vulnerable code path during normal application operation. The attack requires minimal user interaction since the exploit can be delivered through email attachments or web downloads, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open documents from untrusted sources. The vulnerability affects the application's ability to properly handle file registration processes, potentially allowing attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected user.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, starting with immediate patching of affected systems to the latest STDU Viewer versions that contain proper input validation and memory management fixes. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can help prevent exploitation by limiting the attack surface, while regular security assessments should include checks for outdated document viewer applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write patterns, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter for potential execution paths. Organizations should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous behavior during document processing operations, particularly around DLL loading and unregistration activities. The remediation process must include thorough testing of patched applications to ensure that the fix does not introduce regressions in legitimate document processing functionality while maintaining the security improvements necessary to prevent exploitation.