CVE-2015-3050 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.14 and 11.x before 11.0.11 on Windows and OS X allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-9161, CVE-2015-3046, CVE-2015-3049, CVE-2015-3051, CVE-2015-3052, CVE-2015-3056, CVE-2015-3057, CVE-2015-3070, and CVE-2015-3076.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2022
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 10.x prior to 10.1.14 and 11.x prior to 11.0.11 contain a memory corruption vulnerability on both Windows and macOS operating systems that enables remote code execution or denial of service attacks. This vulnerability represents a distinct security flaw from several other recently disclosed issues affecting the same software suite. The unspecified attack vectors suggest that the memory corruption occurs through multiple potential entry points within the PDF processing engine, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as attackers can exploit various code paths to achieve their objectives. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of malformed PDF objects or malformed data structures within PDF files that are processed by the affected Adobe applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common software security flaws categorized under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. These memory corruption issues typically arise when applications fail to properly validate input data or when buffer overflow conditions occur during PDF parsing operations. Attackers can craft specially malformed PDF documents that, when opened by an affected version of Adobe Reader or Acrobat, trigger memory corruption that allows for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability affects the core PDF processing functionality, which means that any PDF file opened through the vulnerable applications could potentially serve as an attack vector. The memory corruption occurs at the application level where PDF objects are parsed and rendered, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents and execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include full system compromise when exploited successfully. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code on the target system with the same privileges as the user running Adobe Reader or Acrobat, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because PDF files are commonly encountered in email attachments, web downloads, and file sharing scenarios, making exploitation relatively easy for threat actors. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face significant risk as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to systems, conduct data exfiltration, or deploy additional malware. The widespread use of Adobe Reader across enterprise environments amplifies the potential impact, as a single compromised system can serve as a foothold for broader network infiltration.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 10.1.14 or 11.0.11, respectively, which contain patches addressing this memory corruption vulnerability. System administrators should implement security policies that restrict PDF file handling and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to isolate PDF processing operations. Network security controls such as email filtering and web proxy configurations can help reduce the risk of encountering malicious PDF files. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies. From an att&ck framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving execution through compromised applications and privilege escalation, as attackers can leverage the vulnerability to execute code with elevated privileges. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs should include specific checks for Adobe Reader installations to ensure that all systems remain protected against this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.