Microsoft Word up to 2019 LNK File 7pk security

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Microsoft Word up to 2019. The impacted element is an unknown function of the component LNK File Handler. This manipulation causes 7pk security. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2020-16933. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available. Applying a patch is the recommended action to fix this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Word up to 2019 (Word Processing Software). It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown code of the component LNK File Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a 7pk security vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-254. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

<p>A security feature bypass vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word software when it fails to properly handle .LNK files. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user. For example, the file could then take actions on behalf of the logged-on user with the same permissions as the current user.</p> <p>To exploit the vulnerability, a user must open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Word software. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending the specially crafted file to the user and convincing the user to open the file. In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website (or leverage a compromised website that accepts or hosts user-provided content) that contains a specially crafted file that is designed to exploit the vulnerability. However, an attacker would have no way to force the user to visit the website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince the user to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or Instant Messenger message, and then convince the user to open the specially crafted file.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Word handles these files.</p>

The weakness was published 10/13/2020 as confirmed security guidance (Website). The advisory is shared at portal.msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2020-16933. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1211 for this issue. The advisory points out:

A security feature bypass vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word software when it fails to properly handle .LNK files. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user. For example, the file could then take actions on behalf of the logged-on user with the same permissions as the current user. To exploit the vulnerability, a user must open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Word software. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending the specially crafted file to the user and convincing the user to open the file. In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website (or leverage a compromised website that accepts or hosts user-provided content) that contains a specially crafted file that is designed to exploit the vulnerability. However, an attacker would have no way to force the user to visit the website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince the user to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or Instant Messenger message, and then convince the user to open the specially crafted file. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Word handles these files.

It is declared as proof-of-concept.

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

• Word Processing Software

Vendor

• Microsoft

Name

• Word

Version

• 365 Apps for Enterprise
• 2010 SP2
• 2013 RT SP1
• 2013 SP1
• 2016
• 2019

License

• commercial

Website

• Vendor: https://www.microsoft.com/

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