Vulnerabilities > CVE-2009-3037 - Improper Restriction of Operations Within the Bounds of A Memory Buffer vulnerability in multiple products

047910
CVSS 9.3 - CRITICAL
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
MEDIUM
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
COMPLETE
Integrity impact
COMPLETE
Availability impact
COMPLETE
network
ibm
symantec
autonomy
CWE-119
critical
nessus
NVD
Published: 2009-09-01
Updated: 2013-02-07

Summary

Buffer overflow in xlssr.dll in the Autonomy KeyView XLS viewer (aka File Viewer for Excel), as used in IBM Lotus Notes 5.x through 8.5.x, Symantec Mail Security, Symantec BrightMail Appliance, Symantec Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and other products, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted .xls spreadsheet attachment.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Ibm
38
Application
Symantec
31
Application
Autonomy
1

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables
    This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the attacker finds that they can modify an environment variable, they may try to overflow associated buffers. This attack leverages implicit trust often placed in environment variables.
  • Overflow Buffers
    Buffer Overflow attacks target improper or missing bounds checking on buffer operations, typically triggered by input injected by an attacker. As a consequence, an attacker is able to write past the boundaries of allocated buffer regions in memory, causing a program crash or potentially redirection of execution as per the attackers' choice.
  • Client-side Injection-induced Buffer Overflow
    This type of attack exploits a buffer overflow vulnerability in targeted client software through injection of malicious content from a custom-built hostile service.
  • Filter Failure through Buffer Overflow
    In this attack, the idea is to cause an active filter to fail by causing an oversized transaction. An attacker may try to feed overly long input strings to the program in an attempt to overwhelm the filter (by causing a buffer overflow) and hoping that the filter does not fail securely (i.e. the user input is let into the system unfiltered).
  • MIME Conversion
    An attacker exploits a weakness in the MIME conversion routine to cause a buffer overflow and gain control over the mail server machine. The MIME system is designed to allow various different information formats to be interpreted and sent via e-mail. Attack points exist when data are converted to MIME compatible format and back.

Nessus

NASL familyWindows
NASL idSMS_SMTP_KEYVIEW_OVERFLOW.NASL
descriptionThe version of Symantec Mail Security for SMTP running on the remote host is affected by an integer overflow condition when parsing a Shared String Table (SST) record inside of an Excel file. One of the fields in the SST is a 32-bit integer used to specify the size of a dynamic memory allocation. This integer is not validated, which can result in a heap-based buffer overflow condition. A remote attacker can exploit this by tricking a user into viewing an email with a specially crafted Excel file, resulting in the execution of arbitrary code as SYSTEM.
last seen2020-06-01
modified2020-06-02
plugin id40871
published2009-09-04
reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2009-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/40871
titleSymantec Mail Security for SMTP KeyView Excel SST Parsing RCE
code
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#


include("compat.inc");


if (description)
{
  script_id(40871);
  script_version("1.19");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2018/11/15 20:50:28");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2009-3037");
  script_bugtraq_id(36042);
  script_xref(name:"Secunia", value:"36421");
  script_xref(name:"IAVB", value:"2009-B-0042");

  script_name(english:"Symantec Mail Security for SMTP KeyView Excel SST Parsing RCE");
  script_summary(english:"Does a version check on SMSSMTP.");

  script_set_attribute(  attribute:"synopsis",  value:
"An email security application running on the remote Windows host is
affected by a remote code execution vulnerability.");
  script_set_attribute(  attribute:"description",  value:
"The version of Symantec Mail Security for SMTP running on the remote
host is affected by an integer overflow condition when parsing a
Shared String Table (SST) record inside of an Excel file. One of the
fields in the SST is a 32-bit integer used to specify the size of a
dynamic memory allocation. This integer is not validated, which can
result in a heap-based buffer overflow condition. A remote attacker
can exploit this by tricking a user into viewing an email with a
specially crafted Excel file, resulting in the execution of arbitrary
code as SYSTEM.");
  # https://web.archive.org/web/20150126142007/http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/cyber-security/security-intelligence/vulnerability-reports/articles/index.xhtml?id=823
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?72cc3878");
  # http://www.symantec.com/security_response/securityupdates/detail.jsp?fid=security_advisory&pvid=security_advisory&year=2009&suid=20090825_00
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?7daa28ca");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Apply patch level 205.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_cwe_id(119);

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2009/08/25");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2009/08/25");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2009/09/04");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/a:symantec:mail_security");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"stig_severity", value:"II");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Windows");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2009-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.");

  script_dependencies("sms_smtp_installed.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Symantec/SMSSMTP/Version");
  script_require_ports(139, 445);

  exit(0);
}

include("audit.inc");
include("smb_func.inc");
include("smb_hotfixes.inc");
include("smb_hotfixes_fcheck.inc");
include("misc_func.inc");

ver = get_kb_item('Symantec/SMSSMTP/Version');
if (isnull(ver)) exit(1, "The 'Symantec/SMSSMTP/Version' KB item is missing.");

ver_fields = split(ver, sep:'.', keep:FALSE);
major = int(ver_fields[0]);
minor = int(ver_fields[1]);

# Only the 5.0.x branch is affected
if (major != 5 && minor != 0) exit(0, "Version "+ver+" is not affected.");

path_key = 'SMB/Symantec/SMSSMTP/' + ver;
path = get_kb_item(path_key);
if (isnull(path)) exit(1, "The '"+path_key+"' KB item is missing.");

dll_path = path + "\scanner\rules\verity";
dll_file = "xlssr.dll";

res = hotfix_check_fversion(file:dll_file, version:"10.4.0.0", path:dll_path);

# After a vanilla install, there is no version in the metadata of the affected
# file
if (res == HCF_OLDER || res == HCF_NOVER)
{
  hotfix_security_hole();
  hotfix_check_fversion_end();
  exit(0);
}

hotfix_check_fversion_end();
if (res != HCF_OK) exit(1, "Unable to do version check (error code: " + res + ").");
else audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');

References