CVE-2015-4450 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.15 and 11.x before 11.0.12, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 2015.006.30060, and Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous before 2015.008.20082 on Windows and OS X allow attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-8450, CVE-2015-4449, CVE-2015-5088, CVE-2015-5089, and CVE-2015-5092.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical access control flaw in Adobe Reader and Acrobat products that enables attackers to bypass intended security restrictions and obtain sensitive information. The affected versions include Adobe Reader 10.x before 10.1.15 and 11.x before 11.0.12, along with various Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic and Continuous versions released prior to specific patch levels. The vulnerability operates through unspecified vectors that differ from other contemporaneous issues, indicating a distinct code path or implementation flaw. This weakness falls under the broader category of insufficient access control mechanisms, which is classified as CWE-284 according to the Common Weakness Enumeration standard. The vulnerability affects both Windows and OS X operating systems, demonstrating the cross-platform nature of the security flaw.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves attackers exploiting mechanisms that should normally restrict access to sensitive information within the Adobe applications. While the exact vector remains unspecified in the CVE description, such vulnerabilities typically involve improper privilege checks, inadequate input validation, or flawed permission systems within the application's security architecture. The flaw allows unauthorized access to data that should be protected by the application's access control policies, potentially exposing confidential documents, user credentials, or system information. This type of vulnerability represents a significant risk in enterprise environments where Adobe Reader and Acrobat are widely deployed for document handling and viewing.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4450 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive business documents, personal information, or proprietary data. In organizational contexts, this vulnerability could facilitate data breaches, intellectual property theft, or targeted attacks against specific individuals or departments. The vulnerability's presence in widely used software applications means that successful exploitation could affect thousands of users across multiple industries, particularly in sectors where document security is paramount such as legal, financial, healthcare, and government organizations. The attack surface is significantly broadened due to the prevalence of Adobe Reader installations across both corporate and personal computing environments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for all affected versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat products. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected systems and prioritize patch deployment across the enterprise environment. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, while security teams should review access control policies and document handling procedures to minimize the impact of potential information disclosure. The vulnerability's classification under access control weaknesses aligns with ATT&CK technique T1074 which covers data staging and collection methods. Additional defensive measures include implementing application whitelisting policies, restricting Adobe Reader functionality through group policies, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other software components.