CVE-2015-3057 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-2015-3050, CVE-2015-3051, CVE-2015-3052, CVE-2015-3056, 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 platforms that enables remote code execution or denial of service conditions. This vulnerability represents a distinct issue from several other CVEs published in the same timeframe, including CVE-2014-9161 and the various CVE-2015-30xx series vulnerabilities. The flaw exists within the handling of unspecified vectors within the PDF processing engine, creating a potential attack surface that adversaries can exploit through crafted malicious PDF files. The memory corruption aspect suggests that the vulnerability likely involves improper memory management or buffer overflows during PDF parsing operations, which can lead to arbitrary code execution when the application attempts to process malformed input data. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, or CWE-122, which covers stack-based buffer overflow scenarios, depending on the specific memory corruption mechanism exploited. The attack vector typically involves social engineering techniques where users are tricked into opening maliciously crafted PDF documents, often delivered through email attachments or compromised websites. The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it affects widely deployed software across enterprise environments and individual users, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized system access, execute malicious code, or cause system instability through denial of service conditions. The vulnerability's presence in both Windows and macOS platforms indicates a cross-platform threat that requires comprehensive security updates across all supported operating systems. Organizations must understand that this vulnerability represents a critical security risk that can be exploited remotely without user interaction in some scenarios, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where PDF documents are frequently exchanged. The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for execution, and T1059, which involves command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers may leverage the arbitrary code execution capability to establish persistent access or escalate privileges. The remediation strategy requires immediate deployment of Adobe's security patches, which typically involve memory safety improvements and input validation enhancements to prevent the memory corruption conditions that enable exploitation. Security administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring for suspicious PDF file activity and consider network-based intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of opening untrusted PDF documents remains crucial, as social engineering remains a primary delivery mechanism for this class of vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue places it within the broader category of software security flaws that require careful attention to memory management practices and input sanitization to prevent exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and sandboxing techniques to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, particularly in high-value environments where Adobe Reader remains a critical component of business operations.