CVE-2015-3073 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 bypass intended restrictions on JavaScript API execution via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3060, CVE-2015-3061, CVE-2015-3062, CVE-2015-3063, CVE-2015-3064, CVE-2015-3065, CVE-2015-3066, CVE-2015-3067, CVE-2015-3068, CVE-2015-3069, CVE-2015-3071, CVE-2015-3072, and CVE-2015-3074.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2024
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to 10.1.14 and 11.0.11 on Windows and OS X contained a critical security flaw that allowed attackers to circumvent intended JavaScript API execution restrictions. This vulnerability specifically affected the sandboxing mechanisms that were designed to prevent malicious code from accessing sensitive system functions. The flaw enabled unauthorized execution of JavaScript commands that should have been blocked by the application's security policies, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by threat actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involved bypassing the JavaScript security model that normally restricts access to system resources and sensitive APIs within the Adobe Reader environment. Attackers could leverage unspecified vectors to execute restricted JavaScript functions that typically would be blocked by the application's security controls. This represents a sandbox escape condition where the protective boundaries of the application were successfully penetrated, allowing malicious code to perform actions that should have been prohibited by design.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was substantial as it provided attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary code within the context of the Adobe Reader application. This could lead to complete system compromise when users opened maliciously crafted PDF documents. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it affected widely used software applications and could be exploited through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails containing malicious attachments. Security researchers noted that this flaw was distinct from several other related vulnerabilities in the same timeframe, indicating a unique attack vector that required specific mitigation approaches.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-254 weakness category, specifically addressing security features that do not properly restrict access to system resources. From an attacker perspective, this flaw would map to techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1059.007 for JavaScript execution and T1068 for exploit development. The vulnerability demonstrated the critical importance of maintaining robust application sandboxing mechanisms and proper input validation in software that processes untrusted content. Organizations that failed to patch this vulnerability were exposed to significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their networks.
The remediation for this vulnerability required immediate deployment of patches from Adobe that addressed the JavaScript security model implementation. Security teams needed to prioritize this patch across all affected systems and implement additional monitoring for suspicious PDF file execution patterns. The vulnerability highlighted the need for layered security approaches and regular security assessments of commonly used applications that process potentially malicious content. Organizations should have implemented network segmentation and email filtering controls to reduce the likelihood of exploitation attempts reaching end-user systems.