CVE-2020-13546 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

SoftMaker Software GmbH SoftMaker Office TextMaker 2021 (revision 1014) is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow due to a miscalculation in the document parser, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code by enticing a victim to open a specially crafted document.

Understanding CVE-2020-13546

SoftMaker Office TextMaker 2021 (revision 1014) is susceptible to a severe vulnerability that could lead to a heap-based buffer overflow.

What is CVE-2020-13546?

This CVE refers to a security flaw in SoftMaker Office TextMaker 2021 (revision 1014) that enables an attacker to trigger a heap-based buffer overflow by manipulating a document, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.

The Impact of CVE-2020-13546

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 8.8, indicating a high severity level. It can result in the compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system without requiring any special privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-13546

SoftMaker Office TextMaker 2021 (revision 1014) vulnerability details.

Vulnerability Description

A specially crafted document can cause the document parser to miscalculate a buffer's length, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow when the application writes outside its bounds.

Affected Systems and Versions

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

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Unchanged
Impact: High severity affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability
CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent CVE-2020-13546.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor-supplied patches or updates promptly.
Avoid opening untrusted or suspicious documents.
Implement network security measures to prevent unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and security patches.
Conduct security training to educate users on identifying phishing attempts.
Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems.

Patching and Updates

Check for security advisories from SoftMaker for patches addressing this vulnerability.