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Learning EssentialsApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2006-1311

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2007-02-13
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The RichEdit component in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, XP SP2, and 2003 SP1; Office 2000 SP3, XP SP3, 2003 SP2, and Office 2004 for Mac; and Learning Essentials for Microsoft Office 1.0, 1.1, and 1.5 allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a malformed OLE object in an RTF file, which triggers memory corruption.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The RichEdit component in Windows and Office contains a memory corruption vulnerability when parsing malformed OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) objects embedded in RTF (Rich Text Format) files. Specifically, crafted OLE data in an RTF file triggers heap corruption, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the user's privileges.

MitigationApply Microsoft security patches MS06-027 (Windows) and MS06-034 (Office) or later cumulative updates. Alternatively, disable RTF file handling in applications or block RTF attachments at the email gateway to reduce attack surface.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Learning EssentialsApplication
Affected:= 1.0= 1.1= 1.5
OfficeApplication
Affected:all versions= 2000= 2003= xp
Windows 2000Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 2003 ServerOperating system
Affected:= sp1
Windows XpOperating system
Affected:all versions

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
M
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Windows version
    Run 'winver' or check System Properties. Look for Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 2003 Server.
    Affected if The system is Windows 2000 (any build), Windows XP (any build), or Windows 2003 Server SP1.
  2. Identify Microsoft Office version
    Open any Office application, go to Help > About, or check Add/Remove Programs for installed Office products.
    Affected if Office 2000, Office 2003, Office XP (2002) is installed, or any version of Office that includes the RichEdit component.
  3. Check for Microsoft Learning Essentials
    Check Add/Remove Programs for 'Microsoft Learning Essentials' and note the version (1.0, 1.1, or 1.5).
    Affected if Microsoft Learning Essentials versions 1.0, 1.1, or 1.5 is installed.
  4. Verify RichEdit component presence
    Check for riched20.dll (for Office/Windows 2000/XP) or riched32.dll (older systems) in System32 directory. Right-click file > Properties to see version.
    Affected if The RichEdit DLL exists and its version predates the MS06-027/MS06-034 patch release (June 2006).
  5. Confirm RTF file handling is active
    Check if default program for .rtf files is set to a vulnerable Office application or Windows RichEdit (right-click any .rtf file > Properties > Opens with).
    Affected if RTF files open automatically in a vulnerable version of Office or Windows RichEdit component.

The environment is affected if it runs any unpatched version of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003 SP1, Office 2000/2003/XP, or Microsoft Learning Essentials 1.0/1.1/1.5, and processes RTF files with the RichEdit component.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply Microsoft security patches MS06-027 (Windows) and MS06-034 (Office) or later cumulative updates. Alternatively, disable RTF file handling in applications or block RTF attachments at the email gateway to reduce attack surface.

Recommended fix High confidence
  1. Open Windows Update or Microsoft Update
  2. Search for security update MS06-027 (or check for latest security updates)
  3. Install the security update for the RichEdit component vulnerability
  4. Restart the computer if prompted
  5. Verify the update was installed successfully via Windows Update history

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Learning Essentials Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
20.0 hours of engineering $3,500
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Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2006-1311 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data