CVE-2014-9159 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow 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 execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-8457 and CVE-2014-8460.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2024
This heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in Adobe Reader and Acrobat software versions 10.x prior to 10.1.13 and 11.x prior to 11.0.10 across Windows and OS X platforms. The flaw occurs within the heap memory management system where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This particular vulnerability represents a distinct issue from CVE-2014-8457 and CVE-2014-8460, indicating separate code paths or components within the Adobe software that contain exploitable buffer handling mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the heap memory allocation and deallocation processes, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents and potentially overwrite critical program structures.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow leverages heap memory corruption techniques that enable attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the context of the vulnerable Adobe application. When the software processes malformed input data, particularly within PDF parsing operations, the heap allocation routines fail to properly validate input lengths against buffer boundaries. This allows attackers to craft specially formatted PDF documents or other input vectors that trigger the overflow condition. The vulnerability operates at the memory management level where heap metadata structures may become corrupted, potentially leading to controlled code execution. The heap-based nature of this vulnerability means that attackers can manipulate heap pointers and memory layout to achieve their exploitation goals, making it particularly dangerous for privilege escalation scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution capabilities to encompass potential system compromise and data exfiltration scenarios. Successful exploitation enables attackers to gain arbitrary code execution privileges within the Adobe Reader or Acrobat process, which typically runs with the same privileges as the user who launched the application. This creates opportunities for attackers to escalate privileges, install backdoors, or perform further reconnaissance activities. The vulnerability affects both Windows and OS X operating systems, demonstrating cross-platform exploitability that increases the attack surface. Organizations relying on Adobe Reader for document processing face significant risk, as PDF files are commonly shared across networks and email systems, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking widespread exploitation opportunities.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate patch application and application hardening measures. Adobe released security updates for affected versions, including Adobe Reader 10.1.13 and Adobe Acrobat 11.0.10, which address the heap buffer overflow through improved input validation and memory management routines. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these patches across all affected systems and implement application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted PDF files. Network security controls including email filtering and web proxy configurations can help reduce attack vectors by blocking potentially malicious PDF content. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow classifications and represents a typical attack pattern within the ATT&CK framework's execution and privilege escalation categories. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime application protection mechanisms and memory corruption detection tools to provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar heap-based vulnerabilities.