CVE-2017-2863 in Infix
Summary
by MITRE
An out-of-bounds write vulnerability exists in the PDF parsing functionality of Infix 7.1.5. A specially crafted PDF file can cause a vulnerability resulting in potential memory corruption. An attacker can send the victim a specific PDF file to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2863 represents a critical out-of-bounds write flaw within the PDF parsing engine of Infix 7.1.5 software, a document processing application widely used for PDF manipulation and editing. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-787, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions that can lead to memory corruption and potentially arbitrary code execution. The flaw manifests when the application processes maliciously crafted PDF files that contain malformed data structures within their parsing components, particularly in how the software handles certain PDF objects and their associated memory allocations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs during the PDF parsing phase where the Infix application attempts to process specific PDF elements that exceed the allocated memory boundaries. When encountering specially crafted PDF content, the parsing routine fails to properly validate input data before writing to memory locations, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate the application's memory layout. This memory corruption can result in unpredictable behavior including application crashes, denial of service conditions, or more critically, potential code execution if the attacker can control the memory write operations to overwrite critical program structures or function pointers.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Infix for document processing workflows, as it can be exploited through simple social engineering attacks involving malicious PDF attachments. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise from threat actors, who simply need to deliver a crafted PDF file to victims, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently exchange documents. The impact extends beyond individual system compromise, potentially affecting entire document processing pipelines and business continuity operations that depend on reliable PDF handling capabilities.
Security mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2863 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Infix installations to version 7.1.6 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to properly validate PDF parsing inputs and prevent out-of-bounds memory writes. Organizations should also implement defensive measures such as PDF content filtering at network perimeters, sandboxing of PDF processing environments, and regular security assessments of document handling workflows. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1204.002 for legitimate program execution and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers may leverage this flaw to execute malicious payloads through compromised PDF processing systems. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls around systems processing sensitive documents can reduce the attack surface and limit potential lateral movement if exploitation occurs.