CVE-2016-0936 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 11.0.14, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30119, and Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous before 15.010.20056 on Windows and OS X allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted JPEG 2000 data, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0931, CVE-2016-0933, CVE-2016-0938, CVE-2016-0939, CVE-2016-0942, CVE-2016-0944, CVE-2016-0945, and CVE-2016-0946.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2022
Adobe Reader and Acrobat products have long been targets for cyber adversaries due to their widespread use and the complex nature of their document processing capabilities. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0936 represents a critical memory corruption flaw that specifically affects the handling of JPEG 2000 image formats within these applications. This vulnerability exists in multiple product versions including Adobe Reader before 11.0.14, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30119, and Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous before 15.010.20056 across both Windows and OS X operating systems. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory management when processing crafted JPEG 2000 data structures that can lead to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption, which is classified as CWE-125 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. When Adobe Reader or Acrobat encounters maliciously crafted JPEG 2000 data, the application's image decoding routines fail to properly validate the data structure before attempting to allocate memory for processing. This allows attackers to manipulate memory pointers or overwrite critical data structures, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because JPEG 2000 is a legitimate image format used in professional document workflows, making it difficult for users to distinguish between benign and malicious content. Attackers can embed malicious payloads within what appears to be normal image data, exploiting the trust users place in document attachments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond individual user systems as it represents a significant attack surface for threat actors targeting enterprise environments. Organizations that rely heavily on document processing workflows are particularly at risk since users frequently open PDF documents containing embedded images, including JPEG 2000 formatted graphics. This vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious document sharing platforms. The memory corruption aspect makes exploitation particularly challenging to detect through traditional signature-based security systems, as the malicious behavior may appear normal until it triggers the memory corruption. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would align with techniques such as T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter), as attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands on vulnerable systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-0936 require immediate patching of affected Adobe products to the latest versions that contain memory safety improvements and enhanced input validation routines. Organizations should implement strict document handling policies that limit the use of potentially problematic image formats, particularly in high-risk environments. Network-based security controls including web proxies and email gateways should be configured to scan and block suspicious document attachments containing JPEG 2000 data. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of only opening documents from trusted sources and avoiding unexpected document attachments. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that combine multiple security layers to protect against sophisticated exploitation techniques. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict the execution of untrusted code within document processing applications.