OpenOffice Reveals Motivation for Security Updates
Earlier than previously announced, the OpenOffice Project has released information regarding the newest security updates, spurred on due to gaps in security.
The software project team has advised users of the various release branches of versions 3 and 2 to update their software as soon as possible. More detailed information regarding these security loopholes were planned for September 11, but this info has been made public already.
The first security vulnerability (CVE-2009-0200 and CVE-2009-0201
concerns the processing of data in the format Windows meta-file (WMF). Manipulated data in graphic format could trigger heap overflows and under certain circumstances allow infiltrated code to execute under the authority of Office users. This issue was discovered by Dyon Balding from the company Secunia Research. This loophole also affects every version of Open Office 1.
The second loophole (CVE-2009-2414 and CVE-2009-2416 affects the processing of XML documents, including those in Open Document format (ODF). A targeted XML document could cause malicious code to execute.
Neither of the potential vulnerabilities have met with a real exploit of security to date. The most certain of solutions is to install either Open Office 3.1.1 or 2.4.3. which are the most current versions of the software.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.
-
A New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle, a Linux AI assistant, works with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.
-
FreeBSD Promises a Full Desktop Installer
FreeBSD has lacked an option to include a full desktop environment during installation.
-
Linux Hits an Important Milestone
If you pay attention to the news in the Linux-sphere, you've probably heard that the open source operating system recently crashed through a ceiling no one thought possible.
-
Plasma Bigscreen Returns
A developer discovered that the Plasma Bigscreen feature had been sitting untouched, so he decided to do something about it.
-
CachyOS Now Lets Users Choose Their Shell
Imagine getting the opportunity to select which shell you want during the installation of your favorite Linux distribution. That's now a thing.