CVE-2023-2255 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2023-2255 involving an access control flaw in LibreOffice, enabling unauthorized loading of external content without user consent. Find out how to mitigate this risk.
This CVE-2023-2255 details an improper access control issue in the editor components of The Document Foundation LibreOffice, allowing an attacker to load remote documents without prompting the user via IFrame elements.
Understanding CVE-2023-2255
The vulnerability in LibreOffice versions prior to 7.4.7 and 7.5.3 allowed for the loading of external links without user permission, creating a potential security risk.
What is CVE-2023-2255?
CVE-2023-2255 involves an access control flaw in LibreOffice where documents containing "floating frames" linked to external files could load content without user consent, contrary to the usual behavior.
The Impact of CVE-2023-2255
This vulnerability could be exploited by malicious actors to craft documents that automatically load external content, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or the execution of malicious code.
Technical Details of CVE-2023-2255
The following technical aspects are associated with CVE-2023-2255:
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability stemmed from improper access control mechanisms within LibreOffice, enabling the automatic loading of external content without user permission.
Affected Systems and Versions
The impacted systems include The Document Foundation's LibreOffice versions 7.4 prior to 7.4.7 and 7.5 prior to 7.5.3, where the vulnerability allowed for the unpermitted loading of external links.
Exploitation Mechanism
By crafting documents with "floating frames" linked to external files, malicious actors could exploit this vulnerability to load external content without prompting the user, potentially compromising system security.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2023-2255, the following steps can be taken:
Immediate Steps to Take
Users should update their LibreOffice installations to version 7.4.7 or 7.5.3 to mitigate the vulnerability and prevent the unauthorized loading of external links without user consent.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implementing secure document handling practices, avoiding opening unsolicited or suspicious files, and maintaining up-to-date software versions can help enhance overall system security and reduce the risk of similar vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Regularly checking for software updates and applying patches provided by The Document Foundation can help ensure that known vulnerabilities, including CVE-2023-2255, are addressed promptly to strengthen system security.