CVE-2019-1461 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Microsoft Word Denial of Service Vulnerability'.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-1461 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Microsoft Word software that stems from improper handling of memory objects during document processing operations. This weakness allows malicious actors to craft specially formatted documents that, when opened by vulnerable Word versions, trigger abnormal termination of the application. The flaw manifests when Word attempts to parse and render specific object structures within document files, leading to memory corruption that ultimately results in application crash or complete system hang. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Microsoft Office including Word 2007 through Word 2019, as well as Office 2016 and Office 2013, making it particularly concerning given the widespread deployment of these software versions across enterprise environments. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and can be categorized under the broader ATT&CK technique T1499.100 for network denial of service attacks. The memory handling error occurs during the document rendering phase when Word encounters malformed or specially crafted embedded objects within document files, particularly affecting complex document structures such as those containing embedded charts, tables, or multimedia elements.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-1461 extends beyond simple application instability, creating significant business disruption potential for organizations relying heavily on Microsoft Word for daily operations. When exploited, this vulnerability can result in complete denial of service for end users attempting to access legitimate documents, potentially leading to productivity losses measured in hours or days depending on the scale of the attack. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, document sharing platforms, or malicious websites that deliver crafted Word documents to unsuspecting users. Organizations may experience cascading effects as users report system crashes, requiring IT support intervention and potentially disrupting critical business processes. The exploitability of this vulnerability is relatively straightforward, requiring only the delivery of a malicious document to a victim's system, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where adversaries seek to disrupt operations without necessarily attempting to gain additional access. Security researchers have noted that the vulnerability can be triggered even when documents are simply opened and displayed, without any user interaction beyond the initial document loading process, further increasing its potential impact.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-1461 should encompass both immediate defensive measures and long-term remediation approaches. Microsoft has released security patches through the monthly security update cycle that address the underlying memory handling issues, and organizations should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected systems. Network administrators should implement email filtering measures to block suspicious document attachments and consider sandboxing mechanisms for document processing to isolate potentially malicious files. The vulnerability can also be mitigated through user education initiatives that emphasize the importance of only opening documents from trusted sources and avoiding suspicious email attachments. Additionally, implementing application control policies that restrict execution of Word in potentially vulnerable contexts can provide an additional layer of protection. Organizations should also consider maintaining offline backups of critical documents and establishing incident response procedures specifically designed to handle denial of service events. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability may impact organizations subject to regulatory frameworks requiring robust cybersecurity controls, as it represents a failure to maintain secure software configurations and proper vulnerability management processes. The ATT&CK framework suggests that this vulnerability may be leveraged as part of broader attack chains where adversaries use denial of service capabilities to create distractions while conducting other malicious activities, making comprehensive defense strategies essential for protecting organizational assets.