CVE-2023-34302 in Cobalt
Summary
by MITRE • 05/03/2024
Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt CO File Parsing Stack-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.
The specific flaw exists within the parsing of CO files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a stack-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. . Was ZDI-CAN-17865.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2024
The CVE-2023-34302 vulnerability represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw in Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt software that enables remote code execution through improper handling of CO file parsing operations. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow category, where insufficient input validation leads to memory corruption that can be exploited by malicious actors. The flaw specifically manifests during the processing of CO files, which are used within the Cobalt software environment for various data operations and document handling functions. The vulnerability's classification as remote code execution indicates that attackers can exploit this issue without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where such software may be widely deployed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking during the CO file parsing routine. When the software processes user-supplied data within CO files, it fails to validate the length of input data before copying it into a fixed-size stack buffer. This fundamental flaw creates a condition where an attacker can craft malicious CO files containing oversized data payloads that exceed the allocated buffer space. The overflow occurs when the program attempts to write more data into the stack buffer than it can accommodate, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten with attacker-controlled data. This memory corruption can be manipulated to redirect program execution flow, allowing remote attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the context of the running Cobalt process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can provide attackers with complete system compromise capabilities when exploited successfully. The requirement for user interaction through visiting malicious pages or opening malicious files aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter), demonstrating how attackers can leverage web-based delivery methods to achieve their objectives. The vulnerability affects installations where Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt is deployed, potentially impacting engineering design firms, architectural firms, and organizations that rely on this software for CAD and document management operations. Given that the exploitation requires user interaction, security awareness training becomes crucial for mitigating risk, though the underlying flaw remains exploitable regardless of user caution.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including restricting access to CO file handling capabilities, deploying web application firewalls to filter suspicious content, and applying the vendor-provided patches once available. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw necessitates network-level protections and endpoint detection measures to prevent exploitation attempts. Security teams should monitor for unusual file access patterns and implement principle of least privilege controls to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and secure coding practices, particularly for applications that process external data files. The ATT&CK framework classification for this vulnerability indicates potential use of techniques such as T1133 (External Remote Services) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) in exploitation scenarios, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security monitoring and incident response capabilities.