CVE-2017-14575 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 .xps file, related to an "Illegal Instruction Violation starting at Unknown Symbol @ 0x0000000002d8024c called from STDUXPSFile!DllUnregisterServer+0x000000000002566c."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14575 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 enable remote code execution or denial of service attacks through maliciously crafted XPS documents. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the application's handling of XPS file structures, specifically during the processing of certain malformed file components that trigger unexpected behavior in the underlying code execution environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through an illegal instruction violation that manifests at a specific memory address 0x0000000002d8024c within the STDUXPSFile module. This issue is particularly concerning as it originates from the DllUnregisterServer function within the STDUXPSFile.dll library, where the application attempts to unregister itself while processing corrupted XPS file data. The error path leads to a null pointer dereference or memory corruption scenario that causes the application to crash or potentially execute arbitrary code when a user opens a maliciously crafted XPS document. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read errors, both of which are common precursors to privilege escalation and remote code execution scenarios.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations that rely on STDU Viewer for document processing, particularly in environments where users may encounter untrusted XPS files from external sources. The attack vector requires only that a user open a specially crafted XPS file, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or when users download documents from untrusted websites. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the illegal instruction violation could potentially be leveraged to execute malicious payloads with the privileges of the affected user, especially when the application runs with elevated permissions. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploiting software vulnerabilities to gain access to systems, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage for code execution.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of STDU Viewer to version 1.6.376 or later, which contains the necessary code fixes to properly validate XPS file structures and prevent the illegal instruction violation. Organizations should also implement restrictive file handling policies that prevent automatic opening of potentially malicious files, particularly those with .xps extensions from untrusted sources. Network-level controls such as content filtering and sandboxing of document files can provide additional protection layers. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual application behavior or crashes when processing XPS files, and user education programs should emphasize the dangers of opening unknown document attachments. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in document processing applications, as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security risks and Microsoft's Secure Coding guidelines that emphasize the need for robust error handling and validation of external data inputs to prevent exploitation of similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.