CVE-2012-4156 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.5.2 and 10.x before 10.1.4 on Windows and Mac OS X allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-2051, CVE-2012-4147, CVE-2012-4148, CVE-2012-4149, CVE-2012-4150, CVE-2012-4151, CVE-2012-4152, CVE-2012-4153, CVE-2012-4154, CVE-2012-4155, CVE-2012-4157, CVE-2012-4158, CVE-2012-4159, and CVE-2012-4160.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2018
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.x prior to 9.5.2 and 10.x prior to 10.1.4 contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution or denial of service attacks on both Windows and Mac OS X platforms. This vulnerability represents a distinct threat vector from numerous other CVEs published in the same timeframe, indicating a complex attack surface within Adobe's document processing libraries. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests multiple potential entry points within the software's handling of malformed PDF files or embedded objects. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 category of "Improper Access to Memory" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 "Exploitation for Client Execution" which targets applications that process untrusted data. The memory corruption aspect indicates that attackers can manipulate heap or stack memory structures through crafted PDF content, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the targeted user. The vulnerability affects both Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, demonstrating the cross-platform nature of the flaw within Adobe's codebase. Attackers typically exploit such vulnerabilities by crafting malicious PDF documents that, when opened by the vulnerable software, trigger memory corruption during parsing or rendering operations. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service to full system compromise, making this a critical vulnerability for enterprise environments where PDF documents are frequently exchanged. Organizations running affected versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat face significant risk exposure, as these applications are widely used across business and government sectors for document processing and sharing.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2012-4156 relies on memory corruption mechanisms that allow attackers to manipulate program execution flow through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other heap manipulation techniques. This vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks associated with complex document processing software that must handle untrusted input from various sources. The fact that this vulnerability exists in multiple major versions of Adobe's software indicates a fundamental flaw in the parsing and rendering engines that handle PDF content. The attack surface encompasses various PDF elements including embedded scripts, images, fonts, and multimedia content that may trigger the memory corruption during processing. Security researchers have noted that such vulnerabilities often stem from insufficient input validation and improper memory management within document processors, creating opportunities for attackers to craft malicious payloads that exploit these weaknesses. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution threat means that users need not interact directly with malicious content for exploitation to occur, as simply opening a compromised document can trigger the attack. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open documents from untrusted sources or receive attachments via email systems.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation of CVE-2012-4156 by updating to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.5.2 or 10.1.4, respectively, which contain patches addressing the memory corruption issues. The update process should be coordinated with IT security teams to ensure comprehensive deployment across all affected systems while maintaining business continuity. Network administrators should implement additional security controls including email filtering to prevent malicious PDF attachments from reaching end users, and web application firewalls to block suspicious document content. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual PDF processing activities or memory access patterns. System administrators should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques for PDF processing and restricting user privileges when handling document files. The vulnerability's impact on both Windows and Mac OS X platforms necessitates cross-platform security measures and unified patch management strategies. Organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected Adobe versions and prioritize remediation based on risk exposure and business criticality. Regular security awareness training for employees should emphasize the dangers of opening unexpected PDF attachments and the importance of keeping software updated. The ATT&CK framework suggests implementing defensive measures such as application whitelisting and process monitoring to prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should maintain updated incident response procedures specifically addressing PDF-based attacks and consider conducting penetration testing to validate the effectiveness of their security controls against similar vulnerabilities.