CVE-2008-6063: Infoleak

Published Feb 5, 2009
·
Updated

Microsoft Word 2007, when the "Save as PDF" add-on is enabled, places an absolute pathname in the Subject field during an "Email as PDF" operation, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information such as the sender's account name and a Temporary Internet Files subdirectory name.

Affected Software

1 affected component
Microsoft Word=2007

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Configuration

    Disable the 'Save as PDF' add-on in Microsoft Word 2007 to prevent absolute pathnames from being placed in the Subject field during 'Email as PDF' operations.

    Microsoft Office Word - 'Save as PDF' add-on enabled = false
  2. Compensating control

    Avoid using the 'Email as PDF' functionality in Microsoft Word 2007 when the 'Save as PDF' add-on is present; instead save the PDF to disk and attach it manually so absolute pathnames are not included in the message Subject field.

Event History

Feb 5, 2009
CVE Published
via MITRE·01:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·01:00 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·01:30 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2008-6063?

CVE-2008-6063 has been classified with a moderate severity rating due to the potential for sensitive information exposure.

2

How do I fix CVE-2008-6063?

To mitigate CVE-2008-6063, disable the 'Save as PDF' add-on in Microsoft Word 2007 or apply any available security updates from Microsoft.

3

What sensitive information can be exposed by CVE-2008-6063?

CVE-2008-6063 can expose the sender's account name and a Temporary Internet Files subdirectory name due to the absolute pathname in the Subject field.

4

Which version of Microsoft Word is affected by CVE-2008-6063?

CVE-2008-6063 affects Microsoft Word 2007 when the 'Save as PDF' add-on is enabled.

5

Is there a workaround for CVE-2008-6063 if updates are not available?

If updates are not available for CVE-2008-6063, a temporary workaround is to avoid using the 'Email as PDF' feature in Microsoft Word 2007.

Contact

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