CVE-2011-2432 in Acrobat
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the U3D TIFF Resource in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 8.x before 8.3.1, 9.x before 9.4.6, and 10.x before 10.1.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2432 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Adobe Reader and Acrobat software versions prior to their respective security patches. This issue specifically affects the U3D TIFF Resource processing functionality, which is utilized for handling three-dimensional graphics within PDF documents. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management when processing specially crafted U3D TIFF resources embedded in PDF files. Attackers can exploit this weakness by constructing malicious PDF documents containing malformed U3D TIFF data that triggers the buffer overflow condition during the parsing process. The flaw exists in multiple product versions including Adobe Reader 8.x before 8.3.1, Adobe Acrobat 8.x before 8.3.1, Adobe Reader 9.x before 9.4.6, Adobe Acrobat 9.x before 9.4.6, Adobe Reader 10.x before 10.1.1, and Adobe Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.1, indicating a widespread impact across the Adobe Acrobat ecosystem. The buffer overflow occurs when the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory buffer boundaries, creating a condition where attackers can overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious code.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows established patterns for buffer overflow attacks and aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions. When a victim opens a malicious PDF file containing the crafted U3D TIFF resource, the application's parsing routine fails to properly validate the size of incoming data before copying it into a fixed-size buffer. This allows an attacker to overflow the buffer and potentially overwrite the return address on the stack or overwrite function pointers, effectively redirecting program execution flow. The attack vector typically involves a user opening a specially crafted PDF document, making this a classic user-initiated attack that requires social engineering to succeed. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw means that attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution on the victim's system without requiring local access or elevated privileges. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2432 extends beyond individual system compromise to potentially enable broader security breaches within organizations. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running Adobe Reader or Acrobat, which typically corresponds to the user's current security context. This can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or the establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software versions makes it an attractive target for attackers seeking to exploit a large user base. Organizations using older versions of Adobe Acrobat products face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where users receive PDF documents from external sources or where automated document processing occurs. The attack requires no special privileges or local access, making it particularly concerning for enterprise security administrators who must protect against both external and internal threats. The vulnerability's exploitation can result in persistent access to target systems, enabling attackers to conduct long-term reconnaissance and data theft operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2432 should focus on immediate software updates and operational security measures. Adobe released patches for all affected versions, with Adobe Reader 8.3.1, Acrobat 8.3.1, Adobe Reader 9.4.6, Acrobat 9.4.6, Adobe Reader 10.1.1, and Acrobat 10.1.1 containing the necessary fixes. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these patches across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where the risk of exploitation is highest. Additional protective measures include implementing PDF document sanitization processes, restricting PDF file downloads from untrusted sources, and deploying web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious PDF content. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of remote services, and T1059, which addresses command and script interpreter execution. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the likelihood of successful social engineering attacks that might deliver malicious PDF documents. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that all systems have been properly patched and that no legacy versions remain in use.