Microsoft Office Hacks

This article is just to make u aware of knowm existing threats only for educational purpose.

I have stumbled onto a couple potential security issue in Microsoft Word blogs i would like to share. In both cases the adversary (mis)uses fields to perpetrate the attack. It's important to note that fields are not macros and, as far as I know, cannot be disabled by the user. I am providing a basic description along with a proof-of-concept demo. I am fairly certain that someone with free time and imagination can expand on these principles, possibly applying them to other products.

Following tradition I'll use Hacker and Victim as the two parties involved.Hacker will be the adversary.

1) Document collaboration spyware.

Attack Basics: Hacker sends Victim a Word document for revisions. After Victim edits, saves, and mails it back to Hacker the file will also include contents of another file(s) from Victim's computer that Hacker has specified a priori. To achieve this, Hacker embeds the INCLUDETEXT field into the document. The field results in inclusion of a specified file into the current document. Of course, Hacker must be careful include it in such a way that it does not become apparent to Victim. Hacker can do all the usual things like hidden text, small white font, etc. Alternatively (and in my opinion cleaner, she can embed the INCLUDETEXT field within a dummy IF field that always returns an empty string. In this case, the only way Victim can notice the included file is if he goes browsing through field codes.

Attack Improvements: The disadvantage of the basic attack is that Hacker must rely on Victim to update the INCLUDETEXT field to import the file. If the document is large and contains tables of contents, figures, etc.

then Victim is very likely to update all the fields. However, Hacker would like to make sure that the field gets updated regardless of whether Victim does it manually or not. Automatic updates can be forced if a DATE field is embedded into the INCLUDETEXT and it is the last date field in the document (don't ask me why).

Proof of concept: Inserting the following field structure into the footer of the last page will steal the contents of c:a.txt on the target's computer. Keep in mind the plain curly braces below must actually be replaced with Word field braces (you can either use the menus to insert fields one by one, or ask google how to do it by hand).

{ IF { INCLUDETEXT { IF { DATE } = { DATE } "c:\a.txt" "c:\a.txt" } * MERGEFORMAT } = "" "" * MERGEFORMAT }
Countermeasures: The only thing you can do now is decide how paranoid you want to be. If you must edit and send out a Word file with unknown origins, you may want to manually go through the fields. It would be nice to be able to force user confirmation (via a dialog box) for all includes. Alternatively one could write a scanner. Of course an optional standalone checker will never be used by those most at risk.

2) Oblivious signing

Attack Basics: Hacker and Victim wants to sign a contract saying that Hacker will pay Victim $100. Hacker types it up as a Word document and both digitally sign it. In a few days Victim comes to Hacker to collect his
money. To his surprise, Hacker presents him with a Word document that states he owes her $100. Hacker also has a valid signature from Victim for the new document. In fact, it is the exact same signature as for the contract Victim remembers signing and, to Victim's great amazement, the two Word documents are actually identical in hex. What Hacker did was insert an IF field that branched on an external input such as date or filename. Thus even though the sign contents remained the same, the displayed contents changed because they were partially dependent on unsigned inputs. The basic point is that very few users know the actual contents of their Word documents and it should be obvious that one should never sign what one cannot read. Of course, Victim could contest the contract in court. An expert witness (that's actually an expert) could easily demonstrate that there are unsigned inputs and therefore it is not clear which version was actually signed. Thus Victim can get out of the fraudulent contract. However, the same logic will hold for Hacker and she gets away without paying Victim $100 she signed for. Thus, an adversary can build in a free escape clause. Note that I am just speculating about all the legal aspects.

Proof of concept: Inserting the following field structure at the tail of the document will cause "Hello" to be displayed if the filename is "a.doc" and "Bye" otherwise.

{ IF { FILENAME * MERGEFORMAT { DATE } } = "a.doc" "Hello" "Bye" * MERGEFORMAT }

Update : this flaw has been fixed in office 2003 onwards but still works in office 2000 and even sometimes in 2002/03
We can consistently crash Word 2000 using the following method:

1) Open up any text/document editor such as notepad or wordpad
2) type a single word (must be a known word, no punctuation).
3) highlight the whole word and CTRL+C
4) launch word 2000
5) CTRL+V
6) press HOME to take you to the start of the line
7) type I
8) hit the space bar

This consistenly crashes Word 2000 with the following error message:

DDE Server Window: WINWORD.EXE - Application Error The instruction at "0x3076a63e" referenced memory at "0x00000000". The memory could not be "read".

Vulnerability:
remove office passwords
Vulnerable:

MS Word (Win2K/XP)

Example 1

1) Open MS Word with a new/blank page

2) Now select "Insert" >> "File" >> browse for your password protected doc & select "Insert" & "Insert" password protected doc into your new/blank doc

3) Now select "Tools" & Whey hey, voila, there's no longer an "Unprotect document" ... password vanished ...

Example 2

1) open your password protected doc in MS Word i.e. you can't edit protected fields (apparently)

2) Save as a Rich Text Format (RTF) & keep this RTF file open in MS Word (YES, keep open)

3) Whilst your new RTF file is open in MS Word, go "File open" & find your newly saved RTF file & open (YES, you DO need to do 'tis even though you already have it open)

4) If prompted to revert say YES, if not prompted stay calm. Now in your MS Word menu go & "Unprotect document", amazingly, voila, you don't get prompted for a password

Change password if ya like & or save in whatever format if ya like ...

Posted in: Office Tips