CVE-2017-14545 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 controls Branch Selection starting at STDUEPubFile!DllUnregisterServer+0x0000000000010332."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14545 affects STDU Viewer version 1.6.375, a document viewing application that processes various file formats including epub files. This vulnerability represents a critical flaw in the application's handling of malformed input data, specifically within the STDUEPubFile component responsible for epub file processing. The issue manifests when the application encounters a specially crafted epub file that contains malformed data structures at specific memory addresses.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation and memory management within the epub file processing module. When the application attempts to unregister the epub file handler through the DllUnregisterServer function, it encounters faulting address data that directly influences branch selection logic within the execution flow. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of control flow hijacking, where attacker-controlled data can manipulate the program's execution path. The specific address mentioned in the vulnerability description points to a location within the STDUEPubFile module where the application's conditional branching logic becomes compromised, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or complete application crash.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as indicated by the description's reference to "unspecified other impact." An attacker could potentially leverage this flaw to execute malicious code within the context of the application's privileges, particularly if the application runs with elevated permissions. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data theft, or further lateral movement within a network environment. The faulting address manipulation directly affects the program's control flow, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious code or redirect execution to arbitrary memory locations.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which describes buffer overflow conditions that can lead to control flow disruption, and CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices. The attack vector follows patterns consistent with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access. Organizations using STDU Viewer should immediately implement mitigations including application whitelisting, restricted file type handling, and network segmentation to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in document processing applications and highlights the need for robust memory safety practices in third-party software components. System administrators should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely remediation of such vulnerabilities across enterprise environments.