CVE-2014-0207

What it actually does

The flaw triggers an assertion failure inside cdf_read_short_sector when a malformed CDF file is parsed, forcing the calling process to exit.

Why it matters to the business

Applications that inspect files (utilities, PHP web apps, mail gateways) can be crashed remotely, causing service outages and manual restarts until the vulnerable code is replaced.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker prepares a specially crafted CDF file and causes a vulnerable instance of the file utility or PHP Fileinfo extension to parse it, hitting the assertion and terminating the process.

How to fix it

Upgrade the file package to 5.19 or newer and PHP to 5.4.30 / 5.5.14 or newer; obtain vendor patches for Oracle Linux, openSUSE, and Debian packages that embed the vulnerable code.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm installed file and PHP versions meet or exceed the fixed releases; test parsing of known-malformed CDF samples in an isolated environment and verify the process no longer exits.

Typical attack path

1. Create a malformed CDF file that exercises the short-sector code path
2. Deliver the file to the target (upload, email attachment, web request)
3. Trigger parsing via file command, finfo_open, or equivalent API
4. Observe process termination due to failed assertion

How to detect it

Search system and application logs for unexpected exits or assertion messages that occur while parsing CDF files; correlate crashes with invocations of the file utility or PHP finfo functions.

What your security team should do

• Apply the listed upgrades across all affected hosts and containers
• Block or sandbox untrusted file uploads that reach the vulnerable parser
• Add crash-monitoring alerts for processes that invoke file or PHP fileinfo