CVE-2014-8448 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
An unspecified JavaScript API in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.13 and 11.x before 11.0.10 on Windows and OS X allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via unknown vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-8451.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2022
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 10.x before 10.1.13 and 11.x before 11.0.10 on Windows and OS X contain a security vulnerability in an unspecified JavaScript API that enables attackers to extract sensitive information through unknown attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct issue from CVE-2014-8451 and falls under the broader category of information disclosure flaws that can compromise system security. The JavaScript API in question likely provides access to internal system resources or data structures that should remain protected from unauthorized access. Such vulnerabilities typically arise from improper input validation or insufficient access controls within the application's scripting environment. The affected versions represent a critical security gap where malicious actors could potentially exploit the API to gather confidential data, system information, or other sensitive materials that should not be accessible through normal user operations. The vulnerability's impact extends across both Windows and OS X operating systems, indicating a cross-platform security weakness in Adobe's implementation. This type of information disclosure vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors, and represents a significant concern for organizations relying on Adobe Reader and Acrobat for document processing and viewing. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability could be exploited through various methods including crafted PDF files, malicious JavaScript code execution, or other indirect approaches that leverage the API's design flaws.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates how JavaScript APIs within document readers can serve as attack surfaces for information gathering. When Adobe Reader and Acrobat execute JavaScript code, the API in question likely provides access to system resources or internal application state that should remain isolated from user-level script execution. Attackers can potentially craft malicious PDF documents containing JavaScript that interacts with this vulnerable API to extract memory contents, system configuration details, or other sensitive data. The vulnerability's classification as an information disclosure issue indicates that the primary risk involves unauthorized data access rather than direct system compromise or code execution. This weakness represents a fundamental flaw in the application's security model where the JavaScript environment lacks proper isolation from system-level resources. The fact that this vulnerability exists in multiple version ranges suggests that Adobe had not adequately addressed similar issues in their JavaScript engine implementation across different product iterations. Organizations using these affected versions face significant risk as attackers can potentially use this vulnerability to gather intelligence about target systems, identify security configurations, or extract sensitive information from documents processed through the affected applications.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 10.1.13 and 11.0.10 respectively, which contain fixes for this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing strict patch management procedures to ensure all systems running Adobe Reader and Acrobat are updated with the latest security patches. Security administrators should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual JavaScript activity in PDF processing environments. Additional protective measures include deploying application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of potentially malicious PDF files, implementing sandboxing technologies for PDF processing, and conducting regular security assessments of document handling procedures. The vulnerability's presence in both Windows and OS X platforms necessitates cross-platform security management approaches and consistent patch deployment across all operating systems. This issue highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software configurations and demonstrates how seemingly minor API design flaws can create significant security risks. From an operational standpoint, the vulnerability represents a threat that could be exploited by advanced persistent threat actors seeking to gather intelligence about targeted organizations, making it a critical concern for enterprise security teams. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under information gathering techniques where adversaries attempt to collect data about the target system or environment. Organizations should also consider implementing email filtering solutions that can identify and block potentially malicious PDF attachments containing exploit code targeting this vulnerability. Regular security awareness training for employees regarding the risks of opening unknown PDF files remains essential, as social engineering aspects often complement technical exploitation attempts in successful attacks against vulnerable systems.