If you've ever used Paint 3D on Windows 10, you might be surprised to know that this handy drawing tool once had a serious vulnerability that could let attackers run malicious code—just by getting you to open a malicious file. Let’s look at what CVE-2022-23282 is, how it works, and what you can do to protect yourself.

What is CVE-2022-23282?

Paint 3D, a graphics app bundled with Windows, had a vulnerability (CVE-2022-23282) that allowed attackers to execute code on your system. By tricking victims into opening a specially crafted file (such as a 3MF or FBX file), a hacker could run commands or programs on the target system with the privileges of the logged-in user.

Microsoft rated this as a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability, which means the problem could be exploited from a distance—no physical access required—making this especially dangerous for everyday users.

How Did the Attack Work?

The vulnerability existed in the way Paint 3D handles certain file formats. By creating a malformed 3MF file that takes advantage of a parsing bug, an attacker could corrupt memory in a controlled way, leading to code execution.

Let’s walk through the basics

1. Attacker creates a malicious 3MF file: This file is crafted in a way that it exploits the bug in Paint 3D’s parser.
2. Victim opens the file in Paint 3D: This could happen because the user trusts the sender or is simply curious.
3. Exploit triggers: The malformed file corrupts memory, and code embedded inside the file is run with the user’s privileges.

Code Snippet Example

Suppose a part of Paint 3D code tries to parse incoming 3MF files like this (simplified for demonstration):

// Pseudocode: Parse input, but missing boundary checks 
void Parse3MF(char *inputData, int size) {
    char buffer[1024];
    memcpy(buffer, inputData, size); // No checks. If size > 1024, buffer overflow.
}

If size comes from the file and is bigger than 1024, memcpy will overwrite memory it shouldn’t. An attacker sets up the file so size is huge—overflowing the buffer and letting their code run.

Exploit Details

In the wild, attackers could email or share a link to the malicious 3MF file. When the victim opened it in Paint 3D, the app would process the bad file and execute the embedded malware.

Researchers believe the bug stemmed from improper memory handling, like in our example above. While Microsoft never published a proof-of-concept exploit, security observers have noted that similar bugs are often exploited like this:

- Official Microsoft CVE-2022-23282 advisory
- Microsoft Security Response Center
- 3MF File Format Specification

Who Was at Risk?

Anyone running Windows 10 with Paint 3D installed was potentially vulnerable, especially if they worked with 3D files or received them from untrusted sources. Opening an unknown 3MF or FBX file carried real risk.

How to Protect Yourself

1. Update Windows: Microsoft released patches for this issue in February 2022. Always keep your system up to date.

Don’t open files from strangers: Even familiar-looking files can be risky.

3. Consider disabling/uninstalling Paint 3D if you don’t need it.

The Big Lesson

CVE-2022-23282 is a stark reminder that vulnerabilities can lurk in even the simplest apps—and attackers are creative in how they exploit them. Stay updated, be cautious with file downloads, and keep an eye on security advisories.


*If you want more technical details or want to see how Microsoft handled it, here are the original references:*
- MSRC Advisory: CVE-2022-23282
- Paint 3D at Microsoft Store

Timeline

Published on: 03/09/2022 17:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 03/14/2022 16:44:00 UTC