Microsoft Excel 2003/2007/2010 XML External Entity Data input validation

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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5.1$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Microsoft Excel 2003/2007/2010 and classified as problematic. The impacted element is an unknown function of the component XML External Entity Data Handler. This manipulation causes input validation. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2013-3159. No exploit exists. Applying a patch is the recommended action to fix this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Microsoft Excel 2003/2007/2010 (Spreadsheet Software) and classified as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown part of the component XML External Entity Data Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a input validation vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-20. The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality. The summary by CVE is:

Microsoft Excel 2003 SP3, 2007 SP3, and 2010 SP1 and SP2; Excel Viewer; and Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack SP3 allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via an XML document containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue, aka "XML External Entities Resolution Vulnerability."

The weakness was disclosed 09/10/2013 by Timur Yunusov, Alexey Osipov and Ilya Karpov with Positive Technologies as MS13-072 as confirmed bulletin (Technet). The advisory is shared at technet.microsoft.com. The public release has been coordinated in cooperation with Microsoft. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2013-3159 since 04/17/2013. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 69839 (MS13-073: Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2858300) (Mac OS X)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family MacOS X Local Security Checks. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 110219 (Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities (MS13-073)).

Applying the patch MS13-072 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at technet.microsoft.com. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (86701), Tenable (69839), SecurityFocus (BID 62228†), OSVDB (97135†) and Secunia (SA54739†). Additional details are provided at krebsonsecurity.com. The entries VDB-10188, VDB-10189, VDB-10190 and VDB-10191 are pretty similar. If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
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CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.1

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.1
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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Exploitinginfo

Class: Input validation
CWE: CWE-20
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ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

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Nessus ID: 69839
Nessus Name: MS13-073: Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2858300) (Mac OS X)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 902996
OpenVAS Name: Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities-2858300 (Mac OS X)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
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Qualys ID: 🔍
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Threat Intelligenceinfo

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Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Patch
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Patch: MS13-072

Timelineinfo

04/17/2013 🔍
09/05/2013 +141 days 🔍
09/10/2013 +5 days 🔍
09/10/2013 +0 days 🔍
09/10/2013 +0 days 🔍
09/10/2013 +0 days 🔍
09/11/2013 +1 days 🔍
09/11/2013 +0 days 🔍
09/11/2013 +0 days 🔍
05/24/2021 +2812 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: MS13-072
Researcher: Timur Yunusov, Alexey Osipov, Ilya Karpov
Organization: Positive Technologies
Status: Confirmed
Coordinated: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2013-3159 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2013-3159
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-10237

OVAL: 🔍
IAVM: 🔍

X-Force: 86701
SecurityFocus: 62228 - RETIRED: Microsoft September 2013 Advance Notification Multiple Vulnerabilities
Secunia: 54739 - Microsoft Office Excel Multiple Vulnerabilities, Highly Critical
OSVDB: 97135
Vulnerability Center: 41438 - [MS13-073] Microsoft Excel XML External Entities Resolution Information Disclosure Vulnerability, Medium

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Entryinfo

Created: 09/11/2013 15:22
Updated: 05/24/2021 14:25
Changes: 09/11/2013 15:22 (89), 05/11/2017 08:35 (3), 05/24/2021 14:25 (3)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216:BAC:103

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