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Microsoft Office GDI+ Heap Overflow Vulnerability

BACKGROUND

GDI+ is a graphics device interface that provides two-dimensional vector graphics, imaging, and typography to applications and programmers.

DESCRIPTION

Remote exploitation of a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Microsoft Corp.'s Office could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user.

The vulnerability reside in GDI+ library when parsing a enhenced metafile (EMF) picture. When parsing the metafile, it fails to validate a WORD-sized index value within a certain record. This value is then used to control the amount of data stored into a fixed-sized heap buffer. This leads to a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability.

ANALYSIS

Exploitation of this vulnerability results in the execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the user opening the file. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs to convince a user to open a malicious file. Attackers typically accomplish this by e-mailing a targeted user the file or hosting the file on a Web page. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to properly manipulate the layout of the heap.

DETECTION

The following Microsoft products are vulnerable:

• Microsoft Office 2003 SP 3
• Microsoft Office 2007 SP 2
• Microsoft Office 2007 SP 3

WORKAROUND

Microsoft recommends disabling metafile processing by setting:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionGRE_Initialize DisableMetaFiles DWORD 1

VENDOR RESPONSE

Microsoft Corp. has addressed this vulnerability with the release of updates to Excel. More information can be found at the following URL:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin/ms12-034

CVE INFORMATION

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project has assigned the name CVE-2012-0167 to this issue. This is a candidate for inclusion in the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org/), which standardizes names for security problems.

DISCLOSURE TIMELINE

10/26/2011 Initial Vendor Notification
10/26/2011 Initial Vendor Reply
05/08/2012 Coordinated Public Disclosure

CREDIT

The discoverer of this vulnerability wishes to remain anonymous.

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LEGAL NOTICES

Copyright © 2012 Verisign, Inc.

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Disclaimer: The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this information.