CVE-2015-5094 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 execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3095, CVE-2015-5087, CVE-2015-5100, CVE-2015-5102, CVE-2015-5103, CVE-2015-5104, and CVE-2015-5115.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2024
This vulnerability affects Adobe Reader and Acrobat products across multiple versions, creating a significant security risk for users on both Windows and macOS operating systems. The flaw manifests as a memory corruption issue that can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution or cause denial of service conditions. The vulnerability exists in versions 10.x before 10.1.15 and 11.x before 11.0.12 of the desktop applications, as well as in the Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic and Continuous versions prior to specific build numbers. Unlike other related vulnerabilities such as CVE-2015-3095, CVE-2015-5087, CVE-2015-5100, CVE-2015-5102, CVE-2015-5103, CVE-2015-5104, and CVE-2015-5115, this represents a distinct attack surface that requires careful analysis of the underlying memory management mechanisms within Adobe's PDF processing libraries.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling during PDF document processing, where attackers can craft malicious PDF files that trigger buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions when opened by vulnerable applications. This type of flaw typically occurs when the application fails to properly validate input data or when it does not adequately bounds-check memory allocations during PDF parsing operations. The memory corruption can lead to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory leaks, or more critically, the possibility of attackers injecting and executing arbitrary code within the context of the vulnerable application. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities that can lead to memory corruption scenarios.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to enterprise environments where Adobe Reader and Acrobat are widely deployed for document viewing and processing. Attackers can leverage this flaw through social engineering tactics by distributing malicious PDF files via email attachments, compromised websites, or malicious documents that appear legitimate to end users. The impact extends beyond individual user systems to potentially compromise entire network infrastructures, particularly in environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources. Organizations that rely heavily on PDF document exchange for business operations face significant exposure, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including web-based delivery methods or file sharing platforms. The memory corruption nature of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, especially if users have administrative privileges when opening malicious documents.
Security professionals should prioritize patch management for this vulnerability, as Adobe released updates to address the memory corruption issues in the affected versions. The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of the security patches provided by Adobe, specifically targeting the versions mentioned in the vulnerability description. Organizations should implement network-based controls such as PDF file filtering and sandboxing solutions to reduce the attack surface and prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious documents. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of only opening PDF files from trusted sources and maintaining current security software. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following the principle of least privilege, where users should operate with minimal necessary permissions to reduce the potential impact of successful exploits. Organizations should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous behavior patterns associated with memory corruption exploits and provide early warning capabilities. This vulnerability underscores the critical need for continuous security monitoring and rapid response capabilities to address emerging threats in widely used software applications.