CVE-2018-1007 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability exists when Microsoft Office improperly discloses the contents of its memory, aka "Microsoft Office Information Disclosure Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Office. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-0950.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2021
The CVE-2018-1007 vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw in Microsoft Office applications that allows attackers to potentially access sensitive data stored in memory. This vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within Office software components, specifically affecting how the application manages and discloses memory contents during normal operation. The flaw enables unauthorized information exposure that could lead to the disclosure of confidential data, credentials, or other sensitive information that was temporarily stored in memory. Security researchers identified this issue as part of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to address memory corruption vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications across various Windows platforms, making it a widespread concern for enterprise environments where Office applications are extensively used.
The technical root cause of this information disclosure vulnerability lies in how Microsoft Office applications handle memory allocation and deallocation processes. When Office applications process certain file formats or execute specific operations, they may leave sensitive data in memory locations that are not properly sanitized before the memory is released or reused. This improper memory management creates opportunities for attackers to potentially extract confidential information through memory scraping techniques or by leveraging other exploitation methods that can access memory contents. The vulnerability is classified as an information disclosure issue under CWE-200, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper handling of data. Attackers could potentially exploit this flaw by crafting malicious documents or using memory analysis tools to access data that should have been securely cleared from memory, including user credentials, document contents, or system information.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-1007 extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable more sophisticated attack vectors when combined with other vulnerabilities or exploitation techniques. Organizations using affected Office versions face significant risks including potential credential theft, intellectual property exposure, and unauthorized access to sensitive business information. The vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Office applications are frequently used to process confidential documents, financial records, or personal data. Security analysts have noted that this type of information disclosure vulnerability often serves as a stepping stone for more advanced attacks, as the leaked information can provide attackers with additional context for targeting other systems or applications within the network. The risk is elevated in environments where users have elevated privileges or where Office applications are used to handle highly sensitive data such as personal health information, financial records, or proprietary business documents.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-1007 primarily focus on applying Microsoft's official security patches and updates released in response to this vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the relevant security updates to protect their systems from exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. Security teams should also consider implementing memory protection mechanisms such as data execution prevention and address space layout randomization to make exploitation more difficult. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 which covers data from local system, and organizations should review their access controls and privilege management to minimize potential impact. Regular security assessments and penetration testing can help identify other potential vulnerabilities that may be exploited in conjunction with this information disclosure flaw, ensuring comprehensive protection of organizational assets against sophisticated attack campaigns.