Executive Risk Summary
"The MSCOMCTL.OCX ActiveX control in Microsoft Office is vulnerable to remote code execution, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site, Office document, or .rtf file. This vulnerability can be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker, resulting in system state corruption and potential code execution."
Anticipated Attack Path
- 1. Initial Exploitation: Attacker crafts a malicious web site, Office document, or .rtf file
- 2. Vulnerability Exploitation: MSCOMCTL.OCX ActiveX control is triggered, causing system state corruption
- 3. Post-Exploitation: Attacker gains arbitrary code execution on the vulnerable system
Am I Vulnerable?
- Verify Microsoft Office version and patch level
- Check for presence of MSCOMCTL.OCX ActiveX control
- Monitor system logs for suspicious activity
Operational Audit Arsenal
Target Type DLL
Target Asset MSCOMCTL.OCX
Standard Path C:\Windows\System32
PowerShell
# 🛠️ Senior Engineer Universal Audit
# Target: MSCOMCTL.OCX (DLL)
$Targets = 'MSCOMCTL.OCX'
$SearchPaths = @("$env:windir\System32", "$env:ProgramFiles", "${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}")
Get-ChildItem -Path $SearchPaths -Include $Targets -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
Select-Object FullName, @{Name="Version";Expression={$_.VersionInfo.ProductVersion}}Patch Impact Forecast
Reboot Required Likely
Potential disruption to Microsoft Office functionality
Internal Work Notes
CVE-2012-0158: Microsoft Office MSCOMCTL.OCX RCE Vulnerability - Apply MS12-027 patch to vulnerable systems
Technical Intelligence & Operational Utilities • Delivered Weekly
Intelligence Sources
Official Advisoryhttp://opensources.info/comment-on-the-curious-case-of-a-cve-2012-0158-exploit-by-chris-pierce/
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/52911
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026899
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026900
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026902
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026903
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026904
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026905
Official Advisoryhttp://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-101A.html
MSRC Advisoryhttps://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2012/ms12-027
Official Advisoryhttps://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/74372
Official Advisoryhttps://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15462
Official Advisoryhttp://opensources.info/comment-on-the-curious-case-of-a-cve-2012-0158-exploit-by-chris-pierce/
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/52911
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026899
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026900
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026902
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026903
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026904
Official Advisoryhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026905
Official Advisoryhttp://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-101A.html
MSRC Advisoryhttps://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2012/ms12-027
Official Advisoryhttps://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/74372
Official Advisoryhttps://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15462
Official Advisoryhttps://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2012-0158
Related Microsoft Threats
Data compiled from NVD, MSRC, and CISA KEV Catalog. Intelligence synthesized via AI. Scripts provided for diagnostic purposes under MIT License.