CVE-2018-3855 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-2018-3855 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 arises when processing specially crafted OpenDocument files. The issue stems from improper handling of SkCanvas objects during document parsing operations, creating a scenario where memory management routines execute twice on the same object reference, leading to a double free condition.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of OpenDocument format files that contain maliciously constructed elements designed to trigger the double free scenario within the SkCanvas object management system. When the document filter processes these malformed documents, the memory allocator attempts to free the same memory block twice, which creates unpredictable behavior in the application's memory space. This memory corruption can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application process, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it represents a remote code execution vector that can be exploited through document processing workflows. Organizations utilizing Hyland Perceptive Document Filters for document management, content processing, or automated document handling systems face significant risk from this flaw. The vulnerability affects not only direct user interactions but also automated processes that may silently process untrusted documents, creating opportunities for stealthy exploitation in enterprise environments. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which covers exploitation for privilege escalation through memory corruption vulnerabilities.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic heap corruption issue that demonstrates poor memory management practices in document processing libraries. The double free condition creates a predictable pattern that attackers can exploit using standard return-oriented programming or just-in-time compilation techniques to achieve code execution. The vulnerability's classification as a memory safety issue connects it to CWE-415 which addresses double free conditions in memory management, and CWE-476 which covers null pointer dereferences that often accompany such memory corruption scenarios.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment from Hyland as the primary defense mechanism, as this vulnerability cannot be effectively mitigated through configuration changes alone. Organizations should also implement document validation policies that restrict processing of untrusted OpenDocument files, employ sandboxing techniques for document handling operations, and monitor for suspicious file processing activities. Network-based detection measures can be implemented to identify potential exploitation attempts through malformed document content. The vulnerability's nature as a remote code execution flaw necessitates comprehensive monitoring of document processing systems and immediate response procedures to contain potential exploitation attempts.