Microsoft Office CVE-2015-2503 Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Description

Microsoft Office is prone to a privilege-escalation vulnerability. An attacker can leverage this issue to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges in the context of the currently logged-in user. Failed exploit attempts will likely result in denial-of-service conditions.

Technologies Affected

• Microsoft Access 2007 SP3
• Microsoft Access 2010 SP2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Access 2010 SP2 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Access 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Access 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Access 2016 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft Access 2016 (64-bit edition)
• Microsoft Excel 2007 SP3
• Microsoft Excel 2010 SP2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Excel 2010 SP2 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Excel 2013 RT Service Pack 1
• Microsoft Excel 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Excel 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Excel 2016 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Excel 2016 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft InfoPath 2007 SP3
• Microsoft InfoPath 2010 Service Pack 2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft InfoPath 2010 Service Pack 2 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft InfoPath 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft InfoPath 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Lync 2013 (32-bit) SP1
• Microsoft Lync 2013 (64-bit) SP1
• Microsoft Lync Basic 2013 (32-bit) SP1
• Microsoft Lync Basic 2013 (64-bit) SP1
• Microsoft Office 2007 IME (Japanese) Service Pack 3
• Microsoft OneNote 2007 SP3
• Microsoft OneNote 2010 Service Pack 2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft OneNote 2010 Service Pack 2 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft OneNote 2013 RT Service Pack 1
• Microsoft OneNote 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft OneNote 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft OneNote 2016 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft OneNote 2016 (64-bit edition)
• Microsoft Pinyin IME 2010 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft Pinyin IME 2010 (64-bit edition)
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 SP3
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 Service Pack 2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 Service Pack 2 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 RT Service Pack 1
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 (64-bit edition)
• Microsoft Project 2007 Service Pack 3
• Microsoft Project 2010 Service Pack 2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Project 2010 Service Pack 2 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Project 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Project 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Project 2016 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft Project 2016 (64-bit edition)
• Microsoft Publisher 2007 SP3
• Microsoft Publisher 2010 Service Pack 2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Publisher 2010 Service Pack 2 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Publisher 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Publisher 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Publisher 2016 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft Publisher 2016 (64-bit edition)
• Microsoft Skype for Business 2016 (32-bit)
• Microsoft Skype for Business 2016 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Skype for Business Basic 2016 (32-bit)
• Microsoft Skype for Business Basic 2016 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Visio 2007 SP3
• Microsoft Visio 2010 Service Pack 2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Visio 2010 Service Pack 2 (64-bit edititions)
• Microsoft Visio 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Visio 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Visio 2016 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft Visio 2016 (64-bit edition)
• Microsoft Word 2007 SP3
• Microsoft Word 2010 Service Pack 2 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Word 2010 Service Pack 2 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Word 2013 RT Service Pack 1
• Microsoft Word 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
• Microsoft Word 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
• Microsoft Word 2016 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft Word 2016 (64-bit edition)

Recommendations

Run all software as a nonprivileged user with minimal access rights.
To reduce the impact of latent vulnerabilities, always run nonadministrative software as an unprivileged user with minimal access rights.

Deploy network intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic for malicious activity.
Deploy NIDS to monitor network traffic for signs of suspicious or anomalous activity. This may help detect malicious actions that an attacker may take after successfully exploiting vulnerabilities in applications. Review all applicable logs regularly.

Do not accept or execute files from untrusted or unknown sources.
To reduce the likelihood of successful exploits, never handle files that originate from unfamiliar or untrusted sources.

Implement multiple redundant layers of security.
Since this issue may be leveraged to execute code, we recommend memory-protection schemes, such as nonexecutable stack/heap configurations and randomly mapped memory segments. This tactic may complicate exploits of memory-corruption vulnerabilities.

Updates are available. Please see the references or vendor advisory for more information.