CVE-2020-12801 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE involves LibreOffice defaulting to not using encryption on next save for crash-recovered MSOffice encrypted documents.

Understanding CVE-2020-12801

What is CVE-2020-12801?

If LibreOffice crashes while an encrypted MSOffice document is open, the recovered document may be saved unencrypted on subsequent saves, leading users to unintentionally save unencrypted MSOffice files.

The Impact of CVE-2020-12801

This vulnerability affects the confidentiality of sensitive data in MSOffice documents, potentially exposing them to unauthorized access.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-12801

Vulnerability Description

LibreOffice defaults to saving crash-recovered MSOffice encrypted documents unencrypted on subsequent saves, posing a risk of data exposure.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: The Document Foundation
Product: LibreOffice
Affected Versions:
6-3 series prior to 6.3.6
6-4 series prior to 6.4.3

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability occurs when LibreOffice crashes while handling encrypted MSOffice documents, leading to subsequent saves being unencrypted.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update LibreOffice to versions 6.3.6 or later for the 6-3 series, and 6.4.3 or later for the 6-4 series.
Avoid working on encrypted MSOffice documents in LibreOffice until the software is patched.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update LibreOffice to the latest versions to ensure security patches are applied.
Educate users on the importance of data encryption and safe document handling practices.

Patching and Updates

The Document Foundation has released patches for LibreOffice to address this vulnerability.