CVE-2018-18695 in Report Designer Viewer
Summary
by MITRE
M2SOFT Report Designer Viewer 5.0 allows a Buffer Overflow with Extended Instruction Pointer (EIP) control via a crafted MRD file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18695 affects M2SOFT Report Designer Viewer version 5.0, representing a critical buffer overflow condition that enables remote code execution through manipulation of the extended instruction pointer. This flaw exists within the file parsing mechanism of the report viewer application when processing specially crafted mrD files. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the software's parsing routines, creating an exploitable condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations including the instruction pointer register.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when the application attempts to process malformed mrD files without proper bounds checking on user-supplied data. During the parsing operation, the software allocates a fixed-size buffer to store report data but fails to validate the length of incoming data before copying it into memory. This allows an attacker to supply data exceeding the allocated buffer size, resulting in memory corruption that can be leveraged to overwrite the extended instruction pointer. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it provides direct control over the program execution flow, enabling attackers to redirect code execution to malicious payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, presenting significant risks to system integrity and confidentiality. An attacker who successfully exploits this buffer overflow can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability affects systems where the M2SOFT Report Designer Viewer is installed and actively processing user-generated or untrusted mrD files, creating attack vectors through email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing mechanisms. Organizations using this software in production environments face potential data breaches, unauthorized access, and system infiltration risks.
Security mitigations for CVE-2018-18695 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems with vendor-provided updates that address the buffer overflow condition through proper input validation and memory boundary checks. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, while also deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious file processing activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and maps to attack techniques in the ATT&CK framework under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1546 which involves privilege escalation through modification of system processes, making comprehensive security hardening essential for protecting against exploitation attempts.