CVE-2015-6687 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.16 and 11.x before 11.0.13, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 2015.006.30094, and Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous before 2015.009.20069 on Windows and OS X allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-5586, CVE-2015-6683, CVE-2015-6684, CVE-2015-6688, CVE-2015-6689, CVE-2015-6690, CVE-2015-6691, CVE-2015-7615, CVE-2015-7617, and CVE-2015-7621.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2022
This use-after-free vulnerability exists within Adobe Reader and Acrobat products across multiple versions and platforms, representing a critical memory safety issue that can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management where a program continues to reference memory locations after they have been freed, creating a potential attack surface for malicious actors. The affected versions include Adobe Reader 10.x before 10.1.16 and 11.x before 11.0.13, along with various Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic and Continuous releases, specifically those prior to the mentioned build numbers on both Windows and OS X operating systems. This flaw operates independently from several other related vulnerabilities including CVE-2015-5586, CVE-2015-6683, CVE-2015-6684, CVE-2015-6688, CVE-2015-6689, CVE-2015-6690, CVE-2015-6691, CVE-2015-7615, CVE-2015-7617, and CVE-2015-7621, indicating a distinct attack vector that requires separate mitigation strategies.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves an attacker crafting a malicious document that, when opened in the affected Adobe applications, triggers a use-after-free condition in the memory management system. When the application processes the crafted content, it may attempt to access memory that has already been deallocated, leading to unpredictable behavior that can be leveraged to execute malicious code with the privileges of the targeted user. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when the application fails to properly track memory references or when there are race conditions in memory deallocation processes. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through routine document handling, making it accessible to attackers who simply need to convince a user to open a malicious file. The underlying cause aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software applications where memory is accessed after it has been freed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise and persistent access for attackers. Since Adobe Reader and Acrobat are widely deployed across enterprise environments and personal computing systems, the potential attack surface is extensive. Organizations using these applications become vulnerable to targeted attacks where adversaries can leverage this flaw to install malware, establish backdoors, or conduct data exfiltration operations. The vulnerability's presence in both classic and continuous delivery versions of Acrobat DC indicates that the issue affects multiple product streams, complicating mitigation efforts across different deployment scenarios. Attackers can potentially use this vulnerability to bypass security controls, as the exploitation occurs within legitimate software applications that users expect to be safe, making detection more challenging.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory security updates from Adobe to address the specific vulnerability in question, as well as network-based controls to prevent access to potentially malicious documents. Security teams should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of Adobe Reader and Acrobat applications in high-risk environments, while also monitoring for suspicious document handling activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current software patches and following security best practices for document handling, particularly in enterprise environments where users may encounter untrusted content from various sources. Additionally, organizations should consider deploying email filtering solutions that can identify and quarantine suspicious documents that may contain malicious payloads designed to exploit this use-after-free condition, as the attack vector often involves crafted PDF files that appear legitimate to end users.