CVE-2016-0943 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 mishandle the Global object, which allows attackers to bypass JavaScript API execution restrictions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2022
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to 11.0.14, along with Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30119 and DC Continuous before 15.010.20056 on Windows and OS X platforms contain a critical vulnerability in their JavaScript engine implementation that directly impacts the Global object handling mechanism. This flaw represents a significant bypass of security restrictions that are designed to prevent malicious JavaScript code from accessing restricted application programming interfaces. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of the Global object within the JavaScript execution environment, which allows attackers to manipulate the security boundaries that normally prevent access to sensitive functions and system resources. The issue falls under the CWE-264 weakness category, specifically addressing permissions, privileges, and access controls, where the security model fails to properly enforce JavaScript API execution restrictions. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code with elevated privileges, effectively bypassing the intended security architecture that separates trusted and untrusted script execution contexts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified vectors that manipulate how the Global object is processed during JavaScript execution, allowing attackers to gain access to restricted JavaScript APIs that should normally be unavailable to untrusted code. This represents a privilege escalation vulnerability within the Adobe Acrobat security model, where the standard sandboxing mechanisms fail to properly isolate JavaScript execution. The flaw enables attackers to execute malicious scripts that can access system resources, file systems, and other sensitive application functions that are typically protected from JavaScript code execution. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations that rely on Adobe Reader and Acrobat for document handling, as it allows attackers to bypass the intended security boundaries that protect against malicious document content. The impact extends beyond simple document viewing to potentially enable full system compromise through document-based attacks, making it a critical concern for enterprise security teams. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript and with T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
Organizations should immediately apply the security patches released by Adobe to address this vulnerability, as the risk of exploitation is significant given the widespread use of these applications. The recommended mitigation strategy includes not only applying the vendor-provided updates but also implementing additional security controls such as restricting Adobe Reader execution in sandboxed environments and monitoring for suspicious JavaScript activity in document processing. Network security controls should be configured to prevent users from opening potentially malicious PDF files from untrusted sources, and organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to limit the execution of Adobe Reader to trusted environments. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for widely-used software applications, as the exploitation of such flaws can lead to complete system compromise. Additionally, security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential JavaScript sandbox bypass vulnerabilities in similar applications and ensure that proper security monitoring is in place to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.