CVE-2012-4157 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-2012-4156, CVE-2012-4158, CVE-2012-4159, and CVE-2012-4160.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2018
This vulnerability affects Adobe Reader and Acrobat software versions prior to 9.5.2 and 10.1.4 on Windows and Mac OS X platforms, representing a critical memory corruption flaw that enables remote code execution or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability stems from unspecified attack vectors that differ from several other related CVEs published in the same timeframe, indicating a distinct code path or memory handling mechanism within the affected software components. The flaw exists in the parsing or processing of maliciously crafted PDF documents that, when opened by vulnerable versions of Adobe Reader or Acrobat, can trigger memory corruption leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses categorized under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. These memory corruption vulnerabilities typically occur when applications fail to properly validate input data or maintain proper bounds checking during memory operations. The attack surface is particularly dangerous because PDF files are commonly shared and opened across various platforms, making exploitation relatively easy for threat actors who can craft malicious documents that appear legitimate to end users.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations that rely on Adobe Reader for document viewing and processing. The memory corruption can result in system crashes, application instability, or more critically, allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable software. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1068 which covers exploit for privilege escalation. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual user systems to potentially compromise entire enterprise networks if attackers can leverage it to establish persistent access or move laterally within the environment.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should include implementing application whitelisting policies, deploying sandboxing technologies, and conducting regular security assessments of PDF handling processes. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts through suspicious PDF file transfers or unusual application behavior patterns. Additionally, user education regarding the risks of opening untrusted PDF documents remains critical, as social engineering remains a common initial vector for exploitation of such vulnerabilities. Security teams should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure rapid deployment of security updates across all affected systems.