# CVE-2018-4038: Memory corruption in Atlantis Word Processor

> An attacker can execute arbitrary code by tricking a user into opening a specially crafted document in Atlantis Word Processor due to a memory corruption flaw.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 1 Dec 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g3f8-q8cx-jm7w

## What is CVE-2018-4038?

CVE-2018-4038 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Talos Atlantis Word Processor, published on 1 Dec 2018. 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

An exploitable arbitrary write vulnerability exists in the open document format parser of the Atlantis Word Processor, version 3.2.7.2, while trying to null-terminate a string. A specially crafted document can allow an attacker to pass an untrusted value as a length to a constructor. This constructor will miscalculate a length and then use it to calculate the position to write a null byte. This can allow an attacker to corrupt memory, which can result in code execution under the context of the application. An attacker must convince a victim to open a specially crafted document in order to trigger this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-131 (Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-4038?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Atlantiswordprocessor Atlantis Word Processor.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-4038?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-4038 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-4038 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-4038 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Talos Atlantis Word Processor

- [CVE-2018-3983](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3983/): Memory corruption in Atlantis Word Processor (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-4039](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4039/): Memory corruption in Atlantis Word Processor (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-4040](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4040/): Null dereference in Atlantis Word Processor (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-3978](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3978/): Memory corruption in Atlantis Word Processor (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-3982](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3982/): Memory corruption in Atlantis Word Processor (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-4038 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-4038 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Talos Atlantis Word Processor, published on 1 Dec 2018. 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-2018-4038 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Talos Atlantis Word Processor. 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-2018-4038/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4038/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-4038
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-4038
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-4038

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4038/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.