CVE-2015-6690 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the popUpMenuEx method 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 crafted arguments, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-5586, CVE-2015-6683, CVE-2015-6684, CVE-2015-6687, CVE-2015-6688, CVE-2015-6689, 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
The CVE-2015-6690 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Reader and Acrobat software that affects multiple versions across different platforms. This vulnerability specifically resides within the popUpMenuEx method, a component responsible for handling contextual menu operations in the PDF viewing environment. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate memory allocation and deallocation sequences in a manner that allows execution of arbitrary code, making it particularly dangerous for targeted exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within Adobe's PDF processing engine where the popUpMenuEx method fails to properly validate or handle input arguments. When maliciously crafted parameters are passed to this method, the application allocates memory for menu elements and subsequently frees it without proper null checking. Attackers can exploit this by controlling the memory layout and forcing the application to execute code from freed memory regions, a classic use-after-free exploitation pattern that has been extensively documented in cybersecurity literature and categorized under CWE-416.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6690 extends beyond simple code execution, as it represents a sophisticated attack vector that can be leveraged for privilege escalation and system compromise. This vulnerability affects widely deployed software across enterprise environments where Adobe Reader and Acrobat are standard tools for document viewing, making it an attractive target for advanced persistent threats. The vulnerability's presence in both classic and continuous deployment versions of Adobe's products indicates a systemic issue within the software's memory management architecture that required multiple patch releases to address.
Security researchers have classified this vulnerability as a remote code execution threat that can be triggered through malicious PDF documents, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns and targeted attacks. The exploitation process typically involves crafting PDF files with specially constructed menu parameters that cause the application to access freed memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to inject and execute malicious payloads. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers execution through command and scripting interpreters, as the arbitrary code execution can be used to launch additional malicious processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6690 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Adobe, which address the underlying memory management issues in the popUpMenuEx method. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all affected versions are updated promptly, as the vulnerability affects multiple product lines including Acrobat DC Classic and Continuous versions. Additionally, implementing network-based security controls such as PDF content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management practices and highlights the need for regular security assessments of commonly used software components that handle untrusted input data, particularly in enterprise environments where document viewing applications serve as primary attack surfaces.