Microsoft Word Malformed Drawing Object Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

Risk
High

Date Discovered
2/13/2007 12:00:00 AM

Description
Microsoft Word is prone to a remote code-execution vulnerability. An attacker could exploit this issue by enticing a victim to open a malicious Word file. If the vulnerability is successfully exploited, this could result in the execution of arbitrary code in the context of the currently logged-in user.

Technologies Affected
Microsoft Office XP SP3
Microsoft Office XP
Microsoft Office XP SP1
Microsoft Office XP SP2
Microsoft Word 2000 Korean Version
Microsoft Word 2000 Japanese Version
Microsoft Word 2000 Chinese Version
Microsoft Word 2002 SP3
Microsoft Word 2002
Microsoft Word 2000
Microsoft Word 2000 SP3
Microsoft Word 2000 SR1a
Microsoft Word 2000 SR1
Microsoft Word 2000 SP2
Microsoft Word 2002 SP1
Microsoft Word 2002 SP2
Microsoft Works Suite 2004
Microsoft Word 2004 for Mac
Microsoft Office 2000 SP3
Microsoft Office 2000 SP2
Microsoft Office 2000 SP1
Microsoft Works Suite 2005
Microsoft Works Suite 2006

Recommendations
Deploy network intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic for malicious activity.
Deploy NIDS to monitor network traffic for signs of suspicious or anomalous activity. This may help detect malicious actions that an attacker may take after successfully exploiting vulnerabilities in applications. Review all applicable logs regularly.
Do not accept or execute files from untrusted or unknown sources.
Users should never accept files from untrusted or unknown sources, because they may be malicious in nature. Avoid opening email attachments from unknown or questionable sources.
Do not follow links provided by unknown or untrusted sources.
Users should avoid websites of questionable integrity. Never follow links supplied by unknown or untrusted sources.
Implement multiple redundant layers of security.
Since this issue may be leveraged to execute code, we recommend memory-protection schemes, such as non-executable stack/heap configurations and randomly mapped memory segments. This tactic may complicate exploit attempts of memory-corruption vulnerabilities.

Microsoft has released an advisory addressing this issue in supported versions of affected applications.
Microsoft Word 2000 SP3:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Word 2000 (KB929139)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=F1E61E6A-BE3D-4536-AF76-A11D5CE67199&displaylang=en

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Word 2002 (KB929061)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A1CA8DD7-0622-4D66-A85F-A6586545EF9D&displaylang=en

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Word 2002 (KB929061)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A1CA8DD7-0622-4D66-A85F-A6586545EF9D&displaylang=en

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Word 2002 (KB929061)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A1CA8DD7-0622-4D66-A85F-A6586545EF9D&displaylang=en

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Word 2002 (KB929061)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A1CA8DD7-0622-4D66-A85F-A6586545EF9D&displaylang=en

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Word 2003 (KB929057)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=882F8503-DA72-43C9-B556-A002EC58F289&displaylang=en

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Word Viewer 2003 (KB924883)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=FB59798B-AFE2-4103-9991-CBDD7686F9AD&displaylang=en

References
Source: MS07-014 - Vulnerabilites in Microsoft Word Could Allow Remote Code Execution
URL: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS07-014.mspx

Source: Microsoft Word Home Page
URL: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX010857991033.aspx

Credits
Shih-hao Weng of Information and Communication Security Technology Center is credited with the discovery of this vulnerability.

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