CVE-2022-41103 in Word
Summary
by MITRE • 11/10/2022
Microsoft Word Information Disclosure Vulnerability. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2022-41060.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2026
The CVE-2022-41103 vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Microsoft Word that allows attackers to potentially access sensitive data through crafted malicious documents. This vulnerability specifically affects Microsoft Word versions 2016, 2019, and 2021, making it particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of these software versions across enterprise environments. Unlike CVE-2022-41060 which addresses a different class of vulnerabilities, this particular flaw focuses on information exposure mechanisms within the document processing pipeline. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of certain document elements during the parsing and rendering process, creating opportunities for attackers to extract confidential information from memory structures or internal data representations. The flaw manifests when Word processes specially crafted Office documents that contain malformed elements designed to trigger unexpected behavior in the application's memory management systems. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 which covers "Credentials In Files" and T1552.004 for "Credentials in Registry". The vulnerability's exploitation potential is significant as it can be delivered through social engineering campaigns targeting end users with maliciously crafted Word documents.
The technical implementation of this information disclosure vulnerability involves Word's internal document parser encountering malformed or specially constructed elements within Office documents. When processing these documents, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize certain data structures, leading to information leakage from memory segments that should remain protected. Attackers can craft documents containing specific sequences or structures that trigger memory access patterns which inadvertently expose sensitive data such as file paths, user credentials, or other confidential information stored in memory. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires user interaction to execute successfully, typically through opening the malicious document. The exploit chain relies on the attacker's ability to create documents that, when processed by Word, cause the application to expose internal memory contents through improper error handling or memory management routines. This represents a classic example of how seemingly benign document processing operations can become attack vectors when proper input validation and memory protection mechanisms are insufficient.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2022-41103 extends beyond simple data exposure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within compromised environments. Organizations using affected Word versions face risks of credential theft, intellectual property exposure, and potential lateral movement opportunities for attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability's reliance on user interaction makes it particularly challenging to defend against through network-based security controls alone, requiring comprehensive endpoint protection and user awareness training. Security teams must consider the broader implications of this vulnerability within their overall security posture, as it could serve as a stepping stone for more advanced attacks. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be delivered through standard email attachments, making it an attractive target for threat actors. Organizations with limited security awareness training programs face heightened risk as users may inadvertently open malicious documents without proper security considerations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-41103 should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches and updates to address the root cause of the information disclosure vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive document filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to prevent potentially malicious documents from being processed in production environments. Network segmentation and email filtering controls can help reduce the attack surface by limiting the delivery of suspicious documents to end users. Regular security awareness training programs should emphasize the dangers of opening unexpected document attachments and the importance of verifying document sources before processing. System administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of potentially vulnerable Office applications and enforce strict document handling protocols. Additionally, monitoring for suspicious document processing activities and implementing memory protection mechanisms can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as an information disclosure issue means that organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure proper handling of potential data exposure events. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing can help identify additional weaknesses in document processing environments and ensure comprehensive protection against similar threats.