CVE-2020-1224 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Microsoft Excel Information Disclosure Vulnerability was published on September 11, 2020, by Microsoft. The vulnerability affects various Microsoft products including SharePoint, Office, Excel, and more.

Understanding CVE-2020-1224

This CVE discloses an information vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, potentially leading to compromise of user data or systems.

What is CVE-2020-1224?

An information disclosure vulnerability in Microsoft Excel exposes memory contents. Attackers could exploit this to compromise user data or systems by crafting a malicious file and persuading users to open it.

The Impact of CVE-2020-1224

The vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, compromising user systems and data.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-1224

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

Microsoft Excel improperly discloses memory contents, enabling attackers to exploit this data to compromise user systems or data.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following Microsoft products and versions are affected:

Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 SP1 (Version 15.0.0)
Microsoft Office 2019 (Version 19.0.0)
Microsoft Office 2019 for Mac (Version 16.0.0)
Microsoft Office Online Server (Version 16.0.1)
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise (Version 16.0.1)
Microsoft Excel 2016 (Version 16.0.0.0)
Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac (Version 16.0.0)
Microsoft Excel 2010 SP2 (Version 13.0.0.0)
Microsoft Excel 2013 SP1 (Version 15.0.0.0)
Microsoft Office Web Apps 2013 SP1 (Version 15.0.0.0)

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit the vulnerability, attackers create a specially crafted document file.
Users are then tricked into opening this file, enabling attackers to access memory contents.
Attackers need to know the memory address location of the created object for successful exploitation.

Mitigation and Prevention

Ways to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2020-1224.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security update provided by Microsoft to address the vulnerability.
Educate users on the risks of opening suspicious files or links.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Microsoft products to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities.
Implement security awareness training for users to recognize and avoid social engineering attacks.

Patching and Updates

The update from Microsoft alters the handling of certain Excel functions to safeguard against memory information disclosure.