CVE-2020-13581 in Office PlanMaker
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2021
In SoftMaker Software GmbH SoftMaker Office PlanMaker 2021 (Revision 1014), a specially crafted document can cause the document parser to copy data from a particular record type into a buffer that is smaller than the size used for the copy which will cause a heap-based buffer overflow. An attacker can entice the victim to open a document to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-13581 affects SoftMaker Office PlanMaker 2021 version 1014, representing a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw that arises during document parsing operations. This issue stems from improper input validation within the application's document parser component, specifically when handling records of particular data types. The flaw manifests when the parser attempts to copy data from an incoming document record into a buffer that has insufficient capacity to accommodate the source data. This fundamental memory management error creates a condition where excess data overflows into adjacent memory regions, potentially corrupting other data structures or executable code within the application's heap memory space.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The attack vector requires social engineering to trick victims into opening a maliciously crafted document, making this a remote code execution vulnerability that can be exploited through document-based attacks. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is significantly enhanced by the fact that it occurs during normal document opening operations, meaning victims do not need to perform any additional actions beyond opening the compromised file. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK framework under the T1203 category for Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage malicious documents to execute code on target systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as heap-based buffer overflows can lead to arbitrary code execution, application crashes, or system instability. When an attacker successfully triggers this vulnerability, they can potentially inject and execute malicious code within the context of the PlanMaker application process, which may escalate to full system compromise depending on the privilege level of the executing user. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where adversaries might distribute malicious documents through email attachments, file sharing platforms, or other social engineering vectors. The specific nature of the flaw in the document parser suggests that any document processed by PlanMaker that contains the malicious record structure could be exploited, potentially affecting a wide range of document types that the application supports.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-13581 should prioritize immediate patch application from SoftMaker Software GmbH, as the vendor has likely released security updates to address the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement document filtering policies that restrict the opening of untrusted documents, particularly those from unknown sources or those containing embedded macros or unusual data structures. Network-based protections such as email filtering systems and web proxies should be configured to block potentially malicious Office documents before they reach end-user systems. Additionally, users should be trained to avoid opening documents from untrusted sources and to verify document authenticity before processing. System hardening measures including heap protection mechanisms, address space layout randomization, and data execution prevention should be enabled to reduce the exploitability of such vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar buffer overflow conditions in other applications within the organization's attack surface, as similar flaws may exist in other software components that process structured data from external sources.