Security bugs in Microsoft products are not a rare thing, but some stand out more than others. One of those major vulnerabilities is CVE-2023-32028, a remote code execution flaw in Microsoft OLE DB. In this post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about CVE-2023-32028: what it is, how an attacker could exploit it, the technical details, and—most importantly—how you can protect yourself.

What Is Microsoft OLE DB?

OLE DB (Object Linking and Embedding, Database) is a Microsoft technology that allows programs to access data from different sources in a uniform way. It’s used behind the scenes in lots of systems: web servers, desktop apps, and databases like Microsoft SQL Server. Because it sits in the middle of everything, a bug in OLE DB can be really dangerous.

Patch Available: Yes

Microsoft’s original advisory:  
Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC): CVE-2023-32028

How Does It Work?

This vulnerability lets an attacker run their own code on a victim’s computer. They do this by making the OLE DB component process a specially crafted file or network packet. If the attack succeeds, it’s “game over”—the attacker can take control of the system, much like they were sitting at your desk.

- The file or data abuses OLE DB’s internal flaw, causing it to run code of the attacker’s choosing.
- The attacker now has the same privileges as the victim (or sometimes more, if the code escalates privileges).

Technical Deep Dive

The heart of the problem is in the way OLE DB handles memory when reading input. When OLE DB parses specially crafted files (like .udl or .txt files with database connection strings) or receives suspicious requests, it messes up its memory management—leading to a buffer overflow.

Buffer overflow means the software tries to put too much information in a part of memory, letting some data “spill out” and overwrite other important stuff. If the attacker’s payload is sitting in the right place, OLE DB can end up jumping to it and running the hacker’s code by mistake.

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*(But with extra binary/payload data after the connection string, exploiting the memory flaw.)*

Exploit Example in Python

Below is a conceptual PoC in Python simulating how an attacker could deliver a malicious .udl file. (This isn't an actual weaponized exploit, just for learning; real code would be more complex and use actual payload data):

# PoC - generates a malicious UDL file for CVE-2023-32028 demo

malicious_payload = b'\x90' * 120 + b'\xcc\xcc\xcc\xcc'  # buffer + fake shellcode (INT3)

udl_header = b'[oledb]\r\n; Everything after this line is an OLE DB initstring\r\n'
init_string = b'Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Data Source=attacker.server;User ID=hacker;\r\n'

with open('exploit.udl', 'wb') as f:
    f.write(udl_header)
    f.write(init_string)
    f.write(malicious_payload)  # The overflow now kicks in with payload

print("Malicious UDL file created.")


*Note: Never use for illegal purposes. For demonstration and training only.*

References

- Microsoft Security Update Guide - CVE-2023-32028
- NVD (National Vulnerability Database) Entry
- Microsoft OLE DB Developer Docs

Patch now!

- Microsoft has released patches to fix this. Run Windows Update or get the patch here.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-32028 is a prime example of how a small software bug can become a big security threat. By understanding how it works, you can take action to stay safe—patch early, block dangerous files, and remind your team to be careful. If in doubt, always keep your Windows up-to-date.

Timeline

Published on: 06/16/2023 01:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 06/16/2023 03:19:00 UTC