CVE-2014-6352
Microsoft Windows Code Injection Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2014-6352 is a HIGH severity remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a specially crafted OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) object embedded in a file. The flaw affects Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows RT, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012, including their R2 variants. With a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 and an EPSS score of 0.90729 (99.6th percentile), this vulnerability is among the most actively exploited in the CVE catalog. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog with a remediation deadline of August 25, 2022, though no specific ransomware association is documented. The vulnerability was exploited as a zero-day before patches were available, with attacks observed using crafted PowerPoint files.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| microsoft | windows 7 | - |
| microsoft | windows 8 | - |
| microsoft | windows 8.1 | - |
| microsoft | windows rt | - |
| microsoft | windows rt 8.1 | - |
| microsoft | windows server 2008 | -; r2 |
| microsoft | windows server 2012 | -; r2 |
| microsoft | windows vista | - |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2014/11/11/assessing-risk-for-the-november-2014-security-updates.aspx(Broken Link, Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- http://secunia.com/advisories/61803(Broken Link)
- http://twitter.com/ohjeongwook/statuses/524795124270653440(Third Party Advisory)
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/70690(Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1031097(Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2014/ms14-064(Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/97714(Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/3010060(Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2014-6352(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
Improper Handling of OLE Objects
Improper handling of OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) objects is a vulnerability class that arises when the Windows operating system or applications fail to properly validate and sandbox embedded objects within documents and files. OLE is a foundational Windows technology that allows embedding and linking to documents and other objects, enabling rich document features like embedded spreadsheets in Word documents or embedded presentations. When the system processes OLE objects without adequate security validation, specially crafted objects can trigger code execution, file downloads, or other dangerous operations.
In the case of CVE-2014-6352, the Windows OLE subsystem does not properly validate OLE objects before processing them, allowing an attacker to embed a malicious OLE object in a file (typically a PowerPoint presentation) that triggers arbitrary code execution when the file is opened. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it bypasses the User Account Control (UAC) security mechanism that normally prompts users before allowing elevated operations. Exploitation was observed in the wild using crafted PPSX files that embedded executable payloads through the OLE packager mechanism, similar to other OLE-based vulnerabilities like CVE-2014-4114 (Sandworm). Learn more about input validation weaknesses at MITRE CWE resources.
Impact Analysis
CVE-2014-6352 carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 (HIGH) with an Unchanged scope, reflecting severe impact when a user opens a file containing a malicious OLE object.
Confidentiality (High): Successful exploitation executes arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user, granting the attacker access to all data accessible to that user account. This includes documents, email, cached credentials, browser data, and network shares. In enterprise environments, a compromised user workstation typically provides access to significant volumes of sensitive business data and internal resources, making the confidentiality impact extensive.
Integrity (High): Code execution in the user's security context allows the attacker to modify files, install malware, create persistence mechanisms, and alter system configurations. Observed attacks deployed remote access trojans and information stealers that modified registry entries, installed services, and established persistent backdoor access. If the user has administrative privileges, the integrity impact extends to system-level modifications including driver installation and security policy changes.
Availability (High): An attacker with code execution capabilities can disrupt the user's system by deploying destructive payloads, encrypting files, terminating critical processes, or consuming system resources. The ability to install persistent malware also enables long-term degradation of system performance and reliability.
Scope (Unchanged): The scope remains unchanged as code execution occurs within the user's existing security context. However, the practical impact frequently extends beyond the initial compromise through lateral movement to other systems on the network. With an EPSS score of 0.90729 at the 99.6th percentile, this vulnerability's exploitation probability is among the highest across all tracked CVEs, confirming sustained and widespread attack activity.
Exploit Maturity
Active Exploitation: CVE-2014-6352 was actively exploited as a zero-day vulnerability before Microsoft released a patch. The vulnerability was initially discovered in October 2014 through targeted attacks using crafted PowerPoint files. Security researcher @ohjeongwook publicly disclosed the vulnerability via Twitter, and Microsoft confirmed active exploitation in a security advisory before a full patch was available.
Ransomware Association: CISA's KEV catalog does not indicate a specific ransomware association for CVE-2014-6352. However, as a remote code execution vulnerability exploitable through document-based social engineering, it has been used in attack chains that deliver various malware payloads including information stealers and remote access trojans.
Public Exploits: Detailed technical information about the vulnerability has been publicly available since October 2014, and exploit techniques are well-documented in security research. The vulnerability was initially exploited through crafted PowerPoint files containing embedded OLE packager objects that dropped and executed malicious payloads on the target system.
EPSS Context: The EPSS score of 0.90729 places this vulnerability at the 99.6th percentile, indicating an exploitation probability higher than 99.6% of all scored vulnerabilities. This extraordinary score reflects years of sustained exploitation activity and the effectiveness of document-based social engineering attacks as a delivery mechanism.
KEV Remediation Deadline: CISA established a remediation deadline of August 25, 2022. The vulnerability has been patchable since November 2014 (MS14-064), so any remaining unpatched systems represent a critical security gap that must be addressed immediately.
Remediation
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Apply Microsoft security bulletin MS14-064 immediately. This November 2014 security update addresses CVE-2014-6352 along with CVE-2014-6332. Download and install the appropriate update for your Windows version from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Verify deployment across all endpoints through your patch management system to ensure complete coverage.
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Upgrade end-of-life Windows systems to supported versions. Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2008 have reached end of support. Migrate these systems to Windows 10, Windows 11, or Windows Server 2019/2022 to receive ongoing security updates and benefit from modern exploit mitigations including Control Flow Guard and Windows Defender Application Control.
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Enable and enforce User Account Control (UAC) at maximum level. While CVE-2014-6352 can bypass some UAC protections, configuring UAC to the highest setting ("Always Notify") provides an additional layer of defense. Enforce UAC settings through Group Policy to prevent users from lowering the protection level on their workstations.
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Deploy Microsoft Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) or equivalent. For legacy Windows systems that cannot be immediately upgraded, deploy EMET or Windows Defender Exploit Guard with Attack Surface Reduction rules configured to block OLE object creation from Office applications and prevent child process spawning from document readers.
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Implement email and web content filtering for Office documents. Configure email gateways and web proxies to scan incoming Office documents for embedded OLE objects and executable payloads. Deploy attachment sandboxing to detonate suspicious documents in isolated environments before delivery. Consider blocking PowerPoint file types (PPSX, PPTX, PPT) at the email gateway unless business requirements prohibit this.
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Conduct endpoint security audits for indicators of compromise. Given that CVE-2014-6352 was exploited as a zero-day in 2014, audit systems for historical indicators of compromise including unexpected executables dropped by PowerPoint processes, unauthorized registry modifications for persistence, and suspicious outbound network connections established by Office application child processes.
Technical Details
CVE-2014-6352 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows OLE subsystem that allows arbitrary code execution through crafted OLE objects embedded in files. The vulnerability specifically affects the way Windows handles OLE packager objects, which are a mechanism for embedding arbitrary files and executable content within OLE containers.
The attack vector involves crafting a file (typically a PowerPoint presentation in PPSX format) that contains a specially designed OLE packager object. This object references an embedded executable payload that is extracted and executed when the victim opens the document. The OLE packager mechanism is designed to allow embedding of arbitrary file types within documents, but the Windows OLE subsystem fails to properly restrict the types of objects that can be instantiated and the actions they can perform upon activation.
The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) indicates a local attack vector requiring user interaction (opening the malicious file). The attack complexity is low because no special conditions beyond file opening are required. No attacker privileges are needed, but the victim must interact with the file. Despite the Unchanged scope, the vulnerability's ability to execute arbitrary code makes the effective real-world impact severe.
The root cause is insufficient validation and sandboxing of OLE packager objects during the object activation process. When Windows processes an OLE object contained in a document, it should verify that the embedded content is safe to execute and enforce appropriate security restrictions. CVE-2014-6352 demonstrates that this validation was incomplete, allowing embedded executable content to run without adequate security prompts or restrictions. Microsoft addressed this in MS14-064 by adding proper validation checks to the OLE object handling code path and strengthening the security restrictions on OLE packager object activation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2014-6352?
CVE-2014-6352 is a remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by embedding specially crafted OLE objects in files such as PowerPoint presentations. The vulnerability affects Windows Vista through Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2008 through Server 2012 R2. It was exploited as a zero-day in October 2014 before Microsoft released the MS14-064 patch in November 2014, and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 (HIGH).
How is CVE-2014-6352 exploited in attacks?
Attackers create specially crafted files, typically PowerPoint presentations (PPSX format), containing malicious OLE packager objects. When a victim opens the file, Windows processes the embedded OLE object and executes the attacker's payload without requiring macro activation. The exploit is commonly delivered through phishing emails with file attachments. The attack was first observed in targeted campaigns using PowerPoint files that dropped and executed remote access trojans on victim systems.
Which Windows versions are affected by CVE-2014-6352?
CVE-2014-6352 affects Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows RT, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008 (including R2), and Windows Server 2012 (including R2). All of these Windows versions are now end-of-life except Windows Server 2012 R2 which reached end of support in October 2023. Systems running these versions without the MS14-064 update remain permanently vulnerable.
How do I fix CVE-2014-6352?
Apply Microsoft security bulletin MS14-064 released in November 2014, which addresses the OLE object handling vulnerability. For systems running end-of-life Windows versions, the recommended long-term remediation is upgrading to a currently supported version such as Windows 10, Windows 11, or Windows Server 2022. Additionally, deploy email attachment filtering to block malicious Office documents, enable Attack Surface Reduction rules to prevent OLE object exploitation, and ensure endpoint detection and response tools are active on all systems.
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