CVE-2020-13544 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

SoftMaker Office 2021's TextMaker application is affected by a sign extension vulnerability that can be exploited by a specially crafted document. This vulnerability can lead to writing outside the bounds of a heap buffer, posing a high-risk threat.

Understanding CVE-2020-13544

This CVE involves a sign extension vulnerability in the TextMaker document parsing functionality of SoftMaker Office 2021's TextMaker application.

What is CVE-2020-13544?

A sign extension vulnerability in the TextMaker document parsing functionality of SoftMaker Office 2021's TextMaker application allows an attacker to trigger a heap buffer overflow by enticing a victim to open a malicious document.

The Impact of CVE-2020-13544

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 8.8, indicating a high severity level with significant impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-13544

SoftMaker's TextMaker application vulnerability is detailed below:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows a specially crafted document to trigger a sign extension, leading to a heap buffer overflow.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: SoftMaker
Version: SoftMaker Software GmbH SoftMaker Office TextMaker 2021 (revision 1014)

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit the vulnerability by tricking a user into opening a malicious document, causing the document parser to write outside the buffer's bounds.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-13544, follow these steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update SoftMaker Office to the latest version.
Avoid opening documents from untrusted or unknown sources.
Implement security awareness training to recognize phishing attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and security patches.
Employ network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

SoftMaker should release patches addressing the sign extension vulnerability to mitigate the risk of exploitation.