CVE-2012-1530 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the XSLT engine in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.5.3, 10.x before 10.1.5, and 11.x before 11.0.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a PDF file containing an XSL file that triggers memory corruption when the lang function processes XML data with a crafted node-set.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2018
The vulnerability CVE-2012-1530 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within Adobe Reader and Acrobat's XSLT engine, affecting versions prior to 9.5.3, 10.1.5, and 11.0.1 respectively. This flaw resides in the processing of XSLT transformations when handling PDF files that contain embedded XSLT stylesheets, creating a dangerous attack surface where malicious actors can exploit the memory corruption through crafted XML data structures. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the lang function processes XML data with a carefully constructed node-set, triggering the buffer overflow condition in the heap memory management system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of XSLT processing logic within Adobe's PDF rendering engine. When the lang function encounters a crafted node-set in XML data, it fails to properly validate the memory boundaries during the transformation process, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow condition. This memory corruption can be leveraged by attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution or complete system compromise. The flaw operates at the intersection of XML processing, XSLT transformation, and memory management, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through legitimate PDF document processing workflows. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and represents a classic example of improper input validation leading to memory corruption issues.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities. Attackers can craft malicious PDF documents that, when opened in affected versions of Adobe Reader or Acrobat, will trigger the buffer overflow and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the application. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where PDF documents are frequently shared and opened, as the attack can be delivered through email attachments, web downloads, or shared network drives. The vulnerability's potential for remote code execution makes it particularly attractive to threat actors targeting organizations that rely heavily on PDF document processing. Organizations using older versions of Adobe products face elevated risk, as the attack vector requires no user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it a prime target for social engineering campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-1530 should focus on immediate patching of all affected Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations to versions 9.5.3, 10.1.5, and 11.0.1 respectively. System administrators should implement strict document handling policies that restrict the opening of PDF files from untrusted sources and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to isolate PDF processing activities. Network-based security controls such as content filtering systems should be configured to scan PDF documents for potentially malicious XSLT content, while endpoint protection solutions should be updated to detect and block exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, and organizations should consider implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include network segmentation, application whitelisting, and regular security assessments. Additionally, users should be trained to recognize suspicious PDF attachments and avoid opening documents from unknown sources, as the vulnerability can be effectively exploited through phishing campaigns that deliver malicious PDF files containing crafted XSLT content.