CVE-2018-3845 in Perceptive Document Filters
Summary
by MITRE
In Hyland Perceptive Document Filters 11.4.0.2647 - x86/x64 Windows/Linux, a crafted OpenDocument document can lead to a SkCanvas object double free resulting in direct code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3845 affects Hyland Perceptive Document Filters version 11.4.0.2647 across both x86 and x64 Windows and Linux platforms. This represents a critical memory corruption flaw that manifests when processing specially crafted OpenDocument files through the SkCanvas object implementation. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the document processing pipeline where a double free condition occurs during the handling of maliciously constructed ODF documents.
The technical flaw resides in the SkCanvas object's memory deallocation mechanism where the same memory block gets freed twice during the processing of malformed OpenDocument files. This double free vulnerability creates a condition where an attacker can manipulate the heap memory structure to achieve arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is classified as a memory safety issue that falls under CWE-415, which specifically addresses double free conditions in memory management. When the SkCanvas object processes the crafted document, it fails to properly validate the document structure before attempting to free allocated memory regions, leading to the overwrite of memory pointers and potentially enabling code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote code execution without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where document processing is common. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by simply sending a malicious OpenDocument file to a target system, which then processes the document through the vulnerable Perceptive Document Filters component. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that it operates at the document processing level, meaning that even routine document handling activities can serve as attack vectors. The vulnerability affects both Windows and Linux platforms, expanding the potential attack surface significantly.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the affected Hyland Perceptive Document Filters version to the latest available release that addresses this memory corruption issue. Organizations should also implement strict document validation policies and consider sandboxing document processing activities to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to prevent unauthorized access to systems running the vulnerable software. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual document processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in document processing libraries and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation would likely involve code execution capabilities that could be leveraged for further system compromise. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted document processing applications and maintain regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar memory safety issues in other third-party software components.