Zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft Office

Untrusted Search Path
CVE-2012-1854

The vulnerability was being actively exploited since mid-March, 2012. The targeted attacks were focusing on Japanese organizations.

Vulnerability details

Advisory: SB2012071001 - Remote code execution in Microsoft Office

Vulnerable component: Microsoft Office

CVE-ID: CVE-2012-1854

CVSSv3 score: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:O/RC:C

CWE-ID: CWE-426 - Untrusted Search Path

Description:

The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system.

The vulnerability exists due to the way Microsoft Office loads .dll libraries when opening Office documents (such as a .docx file). A remote attacker can place a specially crafted .dll file along with Microsoft Office document on a remote SMB or WebDAV share, trick the victim into opening that document and execute arbitrary code on the target system with privileges of the current user.

Successful exploitation of the vulnerability may allow an attacker to compromise vulnerable system.

Note: the vulnerability was being actively exploited.

External links:

https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/ms12-046
https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/microsoft-patch-tuesday-july-2012
https://www.trustwave.com/Resources/SpiderLabs-Blog/Microsoft-Patch-Tuesday-July-2012-%E2%80%93-TLS-...
https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/targeted-attacks-exploit-vba-vulnerability-july-ms-tuesday

About zero-day vulnerabilities

Zero-day vulnerability is an undisclosed vulnerability in software that hackers can exploit to compromise computer programs, gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, penetrate networks, etc. We consider vulnerability a zero-day when there is no solution provided from software vendor and the vulnerability is being actively exploited by malicious actors.

Zero-day candidate is a potential zero-day vulnerability in software which might have been used in targeted attacks, however there is no evidence to support this suggestion.