Overview
The CVE-2024-52035 vulnerability represents a critical flaw found in catdoc version 0.95, an open-source program used to convert Microsoft Office and other document formats to plain text. This flaw is an integer overflow vulnerability that can lead to heap-based memory corruption, thus posing significant risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems. Given the widespread use of catdoc in various applications and systems – from content management systems to email services and more – this vulnerability, if exploited, can have serious implications.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2024-52035
Severity: Critical (8.4 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Catdoc | 0.95
How the Exploit Works
The CVE-2024-52035 vulnerability stems from an integer overflow in the OLE Document File Allocation Table Parser functionality of catdoc. When an attacker provides a specially crafted malformed file, it can trigger this vulnerability, leading to heap-based memory corruption. Given the right conditions, this can allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited using a shell command to input a malicious file into the catdoc application:
$ catdoc malicious_file.docIn this hypothetical example, the ‘malicious_file.doc’ would be a specially crafted document that triggers the integer overflow vulnerability when processed by catdoc, leading to potential heap-based memory corruption.
Please note that this is a conceptual example intended for educational purposes only, and not actual exploit code.
Recommended Mitigation Steps
To mitigate this vulnerability, it is advisable to apply the vendor’s patch as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, using Web Application Firewalls (WAF) or Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation. It’s also recommended to monitor network traffic for any unusual activity, especially involving the transfer of Microsoft Office files, and to limit the privileges of applications that use catdoc.