Vulnerabilities > CVE-2006-1540 - Code Injection vulnerability in Microsoft Office

047910
CVSS 9.3 - CRITICAL
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
MEDIUM
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
COMPLETE
Integrity impact
COMPLETE
Availability impact
COMPLETE
network
microsoft
CWE-94
critical
nessus
exploit available

Summary

MSO.DLL in Microsoft Office 2000, Office XP (2002), and Office 2003 allows user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service and execute arbitrary code via multiple attack vectors, as originally demonstrated using a crafted document record with a malformed string, as demonstrated by replacing a certain "01 00 00 00" byte sequence with an "FF FF FF FF" byte sequence, possibly causing an invalid array index, in (1) an Excel .xls document, which triggers an access violation in ole32.dll; (2) an Excel .xlw document, which triggers an access violation in excel.exe; (3) a Word document, which triggers an access violation in mso.dll in winword.exe; and (4) a PowerPoint document, which triggers an access violation in powerpnt.txt. NOTE: after the initial disclosure, this issue was demonstrated by triggering an integer overflow using an inconsistent size for a Unicode "Sheet Name" string.

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Leverage Executable Code in Non-Executable Files
    An attack of this type exploits a system's trust in configuration and resource files, when the executable loads the resource (such as an image file or configuration file) the attacker has modified the file to either execute malicious code directly or manipulate the target process (e.g. application server) to execute based on the malicious configuration parameters. Since systems are increasingly interrelated mashing up resources from local and remote sources the possibility of this attack occurring is high. The attack can be directed at a client system, such as causing buffer overrun through loading seemingly benign image files, as in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-028 where specially crafted JPEG files could cause a buffer overrun once loaded into the browser. Another example targets clients reading pdf files. In this case the attacker simply appends javascript to the end of a legitimate url for a pdf (http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/danger-danger-danger/) http://path/to/pdf/file.pdf#whatever_name_you_want=javascript:your_code_here The client assumes that they are reading a pdf, but the attacker has modified the resource and loaded executable javascript into the client's browser process. The attack can also target server processes. The attacker edits the resource or configuration file, for example a web.xml file used to configure security permissions for a J2EE app server, adding role name "public" grants all users with the public role the ability to use the administration functionality. The server trusts its configuration file to be correct, but when they are manipulated, the attacker gains full control.
  • Manipulating User-Controlled Variables
    This attack targets user controlled variables (DEBUG=1, PHP Globals, and So Forth). An attacker can override environment variables leveraging user-supplied, untrusted query variables directly used on the application server without any data sanitization. In extreme cases, the attacker can change variables controlling the business logic of the application. For instance, in languages like PHP, a number of poorly set default configurations may allow the user to override variables.

Exploit-Db

descriptionMS Office Products Array Index Bounds Error (unpatched) PoC. CVE-2006-1540. Dos exploit for windows platform
fileexploits/windows/dos/1615.txt
idEDB-ID:1615
last seen2016-01-31
modified2006-03-27
platformwindows
port
published2006-03-27
reporterposidron
sourcehttps://www.exploit-db.com/download/1615/
titleMicrosoft Office Products - Array Index Bounds Error Unpatched PoC
typedos

Nessus

  • NASL familyMacOS X Local Security Checks
    NASL idMACOSX_MS_06-037.NASL
    descriptionThe remote host is running a version of Microsoft Office that is affected by various flaws that may allow arbitrary code to be run. To succeed, the attacker would have to send a rogue file to a user of the remote computer and have it open it with Microsoft Excel or another Office application.
    last seen2020-03-18
    modified2006-07-11
    plugin id22025
    published2006-07-11
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2006-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/22025
    titleMS06-037 / MS06-038: Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel and Office Could Allow Remote Code Execution (917284 / 917285) (Mac OS X)
  • NASL familyWindows : Microsoft Bulletins
    NASL idSMB_NT_MS06-038.NASL
    descriptionThe remote host is running a version of Microsoft Office that could allow arbitrary code to be run on this host. To succeed, the attacker would have to send a rogue file to a user of the remote computer and have him open it with Microsoft Office.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id22032
    published2006-07-11
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2006-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/22032
    titleMS06-038: Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Could Allow Remote Code Execution (917284)

Oval

accepted2012-05-28T04:02:07.525-04:00
classvulnerability
contributors
  • nameRobert L. Hollis
    organizationThreatGuard, Inc.
  • nameRobert L. Hollis
    organizationThreatGuard, Inc.
  • nameDragos Prisaca
    organizationSecure Elements, Inc.
  • nameShane Shaffer
    organizationG2, Inc.
definition_extensions
  • commentMicrosoft Office 2000 is installed
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:93
  • commentMicrosoft Office XP is installed
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:663
  • commentMicrosoft Office 2003 is installed
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:233
  • commentMicrosoft Project 2000 SR1 is installed
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:518
  • commentMicrosoft Project 2002 SP1 is installed
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:707
  • commentMicrosoft Office Visio 2002 SP2 is installed
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:692
  • commentMicrosoft Word Viewer is installed
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:737
  • commentMicrosoft Excel Viewer 2003 is installed
    ovaloval:org.mitre.oval:def:439
descriptionMSO.DLL in Microsoft Office 2000, Office XP (2002), and Office 2003 allows user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service and execute arbitrary code via multiple attack vectors, as originally demonstrated using a crafted document record with a malformed string, as demonstrated by replacing a certain "01 00 00 00" byte sequence with an "FF FF FF FF" byte sequence, possibly causing an invalid array index, in (1) an Excel .xls document, which triggers an access violation in ole32.dll; (2) an Excel .xlw document, which triggers an access violation in excel.exe; (3) a Word document, which triggers an access violation in mso.dll in winword.exe; and (4) a PowerPoint document, which triggers an access violation in powerpnt.txt. NOTE: after the initial disclosure, this issue was demonstrated by triggering an integer overflow using an inconsistent size for a Unicode "Sheet Name" string.
familywindows
idoval:org.mitre.oval:def:639
statusaccepted
submitted2006-07-25T12:05:33
titleMicrosoft Office Malformed String Parsing Vulnerability
version12