Windows 10: OpenOffice Security message

Received this E-Mail today:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA256



CVE-2016-6804
<CVE - CVE-2016-6804>
Apache OpenOffice Advisory
<https://www.openoffice.org/security/...2016-6804.html>

Title: Windows Installer Execution of Arbitrary Code with Elevated Privileges

Version 1.0
Announced October 11, 2016

Description

The Apache OpenOffice installer for Windows contained a defective
operation that allows execution of arbitrary code with elevated
privileges.

The location in which the installer is run may have been previously
poisoned by a file that impersonates a dynamio-link library that
the installer depends upon. The counterfeit is operated instead
because of a search-path defect in the installer. The counterfeit
will be operated under the administrative privileges of the OpenOffice
installer, compromising the user's PC.

Severity: Medium

There are no known exploits of this vulnerability.
Proof-of-concept demonstrations exist.

Vendor: The Apache Software Foundation

Versions Affected:

All Apache OpenOffice versions 4.1.2 and older
are affected. OpenOffice.org versions are also
affected.


Mitigation:

Install Apache OpenOffice 4.1.3 for the latest maintenance and
cumulative security fixes. Use <Download Apache OpenOffice>.


Defenses and Work-Arounds:

If you are unable to update to 4.1.3, there are other
precautions that can be taken. These precautions are also
recommended as protection against other software that may
have the vulnerability.

When executing .exe installers, ensure that the installer
is in a file folder that has no files but the installer
.exe file.

If an installer proposes a folder to extract the setup
files into before the actual install, choose the name of
a folder that is not in use. Delete such a folder of setup
files after the installation completes successfully. To
reinstall without downloading again, preserve the installer
.exe on private removable storage.


Further Information:

For additional information and assistance, consult the Apache
OpenOffice Community Forums, <Apache OpenOffice - OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite> or
make requests to the <mailto:users@openoffice.apache.org> public
mailing list. Defects not involving suspected security
vulnerabilities can be reported via
<http://www.openoffice.org/qa/issue_h...ubmission.html>.


The latest information on Apache OpenOffice security bulletins
can be found at the Bulletin Archive page
<Apache OpenOffice Security Team Bulletin>.

Credits:

The Apache OpenOffice project acknowledges the reporting and
analysis for CVE-2016-6804 by Stefan Kanthak and by Himanshu Mehta.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2

iQEcBAEBCAAGBQJYBkKGAAoJEPluif/UVmKKH/0H/2KV5JJC2lTjxMfxfxRchyr9
aT32OzSJQRh6cAH8OZ44ucapUMmGZBaSQDwgqFTh94txlVEzeavUlCTmxFgBqdzt
TIEiEnPWfNlA6wgHX7JDcq1UGnwCpFjY9Vko5dFRrJLiBU+QP6AcN5DLQGeYF2rU
xpDOzQWLbSFIWZ0ASzuLC42iP0minJVaD9E0kK+D0vWLTd5v8PM7az/wQY2n4Znn
89SMdXD1zsBED5RfT0wIBDnN6RrllzebcvXRgSxS1Q9w7FvHBUvVijv1LYNVtd9u
rmUc2v3+1IC73xXrwLBxJxZEFJY4bxtJv3NCoyzg0gH1Ooz9z+qyTXBPp4gyMZA=
=DB7A
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

:)

 

Windows 10 - Mail App - Attachments - The requested operation requires elevation

We are using the Mail app on Windows 10 to view our emails.

When trying to open OpenOffice .rtf files we are receiving the error message:

C:\Users\Practice\AppData\Local\Packages\microsoft.windowscommunicationsapp...\FILENAME.rtf

The requested operation requires elevation.

OpenOffice version is 4.1 and this is running as administrator on the computer. The local account is also Administrator and is running Full Control on the above folder as well as the OpenOffice program folder.

OpenOffice has been reinstalled from scratch but when the file fails it will then ask "How do you want to open this file?" and we will select - OpenOffice4 > swriter.exe. This will then return to the above error.

UAC is switched off and is not getting involved with this process.

Please advise, at present this is occurring on 2 of our machines and all computers are Windows 10. Worried this will progress to other machines.

 

Opening files

Unable to open "OpenOffice" files without opening the OpenOffice first. The file I load can used with OpenOffice turned off after I have the file. I'm using Windows 10.

 

I believe they have stopped developing OpenOffice now. You should switch to LibreOffice which is a fork of the original OpenOffice and better IMO.

 

Agreed, been using LibreOffice for several years now.