CVE-2021-38102 in Presentations
Summary
by MITRE • 10/02/2021
IPPP82.FLT in Corel Presentations 2020 20.0.0.200 is affected by an Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability when parsing a crafted file. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to access unauthorized system memory in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious PPT file. This is different from CVE-2021-38105.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-38102 affects Corel Presentations 2020 version 20.0.0.200 through a flaw in the IPPP82.FLT component responsible for processing presentation files. This represents a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that occurs during the parsing of specially crafted presentation files, specifically targeting the file format handling mechanism within the software. The flaw exists in the memory management routines that process slide presentations, where insufficient input validation leads to improper bounds checking during file parsing operations. Such vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-125 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in information disclosure or system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires a sophisticated attack vector involving the creation of malicious presentation files that trigger the out-of-bounds memory access when processed by the affected software. When a user opens such a crafted file, the IPPP82.FLT module attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data from adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers execution through presentation files, and represents a classic example of how file format parsing vulnerabilities can be leveraged for information extraction. The attack requires user interaction, meaning victims must willingly open the malicious file, making social engineering aspects of the attack particularly relevant.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the user's system context. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could access unauthorized system memory, potentially extracting sensitive information such as encryption keys, user credentials, or other confidential data stored in memory. The vulnerability affects the current user's privileges and execution context, meaning that any sensitive data accessible to the application could potentially be compromised. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for environments where users may have elevated privileges or access to sensitive corporate data. The memory access patterns involved in out-of-bounds reads can also potentially lead to application instability or crashes, though the primary concern remains information disclosure and privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-38102 should focus on immediate software updates from Corel, as the vendor has likely released patches addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies and user education programs to prevent opening suspicious presentation files. Network-level controls such as email filtering and web proxy configurations can help prevent delivery of malicious files through common attack vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper bounds checking in file processing applications, aligning with security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for unusual memory access patterns or application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's impact can vary depending on the specific memory layout and user privileges within the target environment.