CVE-2018-3936 in Office Server
Summary
by MITRE
In Antenna House Office Server Document Converter version V6.1 Pro MR2 for Linux64 (6,1,2018,0312), a crafted Microsoft Word (DOC) document can lead to an out-of-bounds write, resulting in remote code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3936 affects Antenna House Office Server Document Converter version V6.1 Pro MR2 for Linux64, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution through malicious document manipulation. This vulnerability specifically manifests when processing crafted Microsoft Word documents with the .doc file extension, creating a dangerous attack vector for adversaries seeking to compromise systems running this particular document conversion software. The flaw exists within the document parsing and conversion logic that fails to properly validate input data structures during the processing of word documents.
The technical nature of this vulnerability constitutes an out-of-bounds write condition that occurs when the converter encounters malformed or specially crafted word documents. This memory corruption vulnerability arises from insufficient bounds checking during the parsing of document elements, allowing an attacker to manipulate memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The flaw operates at the intersection of memory safety issues and document processing, creating a scenario where arbitrary code execution becomes possible through controlled memory corruption. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, though the specific implementation likely involves heap-based memory corruption given the nature of document processing systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-3936 extends far beyond simple document conversion failures, as it provides attackers with a pathway for remote code execution on vulnerable systems. An attacker could potentially deliver a malicious word document through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites, leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects systems where Antenna House Office Server Document Converter is installed and actively processing word documents, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where document conversion services are frequently accessed. This creates a significant risk for organizations that rely on automated document processing workflows, as the attack could be executed without user interaction once the malicious document is processed.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through software updates from Antenna House, as the vendor would have released patches addressing the memory corruption issue. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, particularly those running document conversion services. Additionally, email filtering and web content filtering solutions should be configured to scan and block suspicious word documents, especially those from untrusted sources. The implementation of principle of least privilege for document conversion services and regular security assessments of document processing workflows would further reduce the attack surface. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter), emphasizing the need for comprehensive endpoint protection and network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.