CVE-2014-0561 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.12 and 11.x before 11.0.09 on Windows and OS X allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-0567.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0561 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw affecting Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 10.x prior to 10.1.12 and 11.x prior to 11.0.09 on both Windows and macOS operating systems. This vulnerability resides within the memory management mechanisms of Adobe's PDF processing libraries, specifically within the heap allocation and deallocation routines that handle PDF document parsing operations. The flaw manifests when the application processes malformed PDF files containing specially crafted data structures that exceed allocated buffer boundaries, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper bounds checking during heap memory operations when processing PDF objects and streams. When Adobe Reader or Acrobat encounters malformed PDF content, particularly within embedded objects or compressed data streams, the application fails to validate the size of incoming data against allocated buffer space. This allows attackers to write data beyond the intended memory boundaries, potentially overwriting adjacent heap memory locations including function pointers, return addresses, or other critical control data structures. The heap-based nature of the vulnerability means that the corruption occurs in dynamically allocated memory regions, making exploitation more complex but also more persistent than stack-based buffer overflows.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-0561 extends beyond simple code execution capabilities to encompass complete system compromise when successfully exploited. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to inject and execute arbitrary code within the context of the Adobe Reader or Acrobat process, which typically runs with the privileges of the current user. This privilege escalation capability enables malicious actors to perform actions such as installing malware, modifying system files, accessing sensitive data, or establishing persistence mechanisms within the victim's environment. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed PDF processing software makes it particularly attractive to threat actors targeting corporate networks, as Adobe Reader remains one of the most commonly used PDF viewers in enterprise environments.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the attack framework, including initial access through malicious PDF documents delivered via email phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The technique of leveraging buffer overflows for code execution fits within the broader category of memory corruption attacks that have historically been among the most effective methods for achieving arbitrary code execution. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies such as sandboxing PDF processing, network-based content filtering, and user education programs to reduce exposure to such attacks. Organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies and restricting PDF document handling to trusted sources to mitigate the risk associated with this and similar vulnerabilities. The flaw also highlights the necessity of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs to identify and remediate such issues before they can be exploited in the wild.
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as heap-based buffer overflow, which represents a fundamental weakness in memory safety mechanisms within software applications. The specific exploitation vectors likely involve PDF objects such as embedded fonts, images, or compressed streams that trigger the flawed memory handling routines. The remediation approach requires immediate patch deployment to update Adobe Reader and Acrobat to versions 10.1.12 or 11.0.09, respectively, which contain the necessary memory validation fixes and heap management improvements to prevent the buffer overflow conditions that enable exploitation.