# CVE-2008-3018: Code injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening a crafted PICT file in Microsoft Office or Works.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Aug 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wf8r-hqj6-cr36

## What is CVE-2008-3018?

CVE-2008-3018 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Microsoft Office, published on 12 Aug 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Microsoft Office 2000 SP3, XP SP3, and 2003 SP2; Office Converter Pack; and Works 8 do not properly parse the length of a PICT file, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted PICT file, aka the "Malformed PICT Filter Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2008-3021.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-3018?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Converter Pack, Microsoft Works.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-3018?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-3018 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-3018 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-3018 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office

- [CVE-2018-0798](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0798/): Microsoft Office Memory Corruption (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-1770](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1770/): Microsoft Office Uninitialized Memory Use (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2006-2492](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-2492/): Microsoft Word Malformed Object Pointer (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-0802](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0802/): Microsoft Office Memory Corruption (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-11882](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11882/): Microsoft Office Memory Corruption (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-3018 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-3018 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Microsoft Office, published on 12 Aug 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-3018 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Office. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3018/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3018/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3018
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-3018
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-3018

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3018/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.