CVE-2017-14560 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 .xps file, related to "Data from Faulting Address controls Branch Selection starting at STDUXPSFile!DllUnregisterServer+0x0000000000005bd2."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14560 affects STDU Viewer version 1.6.375, a document viewing application that processes XPS (XML Paper Specification) files. This flaw represents a critical security issue that could potentially lead to denial of service conditions or unspecified security impacts when processing maliciously crafted XPS files. The vulnerability manifests through improper handling of data from a faulting address that controls branch selection within the STDUXPSFile module, specifically at the DllUnregisterServer function offset 0x5bd2. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices during the processing of XPS file structures, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate the application's execution flow.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of XPS file headers and data structures that trigger unexpected behavior in the STDUXPSFile.dll component. When the vulnerable application attempts to process a crafted XPS file, the faulting address data influences the branch selection mechanism, potentially causing the application to jump to unintended execution paths. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of control flow manipulation, which is commonly associated with CWE-122 Heap Buffer Overflow and CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read patterns. The specific location at DllUnregisterServer+0x0000000000005bd2 indicates that the issue occurs during the DLL unregistration process, suggesting that the vulnerability may be triggered during application shutdown or cleanup operations when processing malformed input.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations that rely on STDU Viewer for document processing, particularly in environments where users might encounter untrusted XPS files from external sources. The denial of service impact means that legitimate users could be prevented from accessing documents, while the unspecified other impacts suggest potential for more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability in targeted campaigns by sending malicious XPS files via email attachments or hosting them on compromised websites, potentially affecting users who automatically open such documents. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently trigger the malicious behavior.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves updating to the latest version of STDU Viewer where the vulnerability has been patched, as the vendor has likely addressed the underlying memory handling and input validation issues. Additionally, administrators should implement strict file type filtering and content validation for XPS files, particularly in shared or public environments where untrusted documents might be encountered. Network-based solutions such as email filtering and web proxies should be configured to block or quarantine XPS files from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the need for endpoint protection and user awareness training to prevent accidental execution of malicious files. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious file processing patterns and abnormal application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.