CVE-2016-0944 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 unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0931, CVE-2016-0933, CVE-2016-0936, CVE-2016-0938, CVE-2016-0939, CVE-2016-0942, 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 prime targets for cyber attackers due to their widespread use and the complex nature of their document processing capabilities. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0944 represents a critical memory corruption flaw that affects multiple versions of Adobe's flagship software across different platforms. This vulnerability specifically impacts Adobe Reader versions prior to 11.0.14 and Acrobat versions before 15.006.30119, as well as the DC Classic and DC Continuous versions before their respective patch levels. The flaw manifests through unspecified attack vectors that differ from several other vulnerabilities disclosed in the same timeframe, indicating a distinct code path or memory handling mechanism within the software's processing engine.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves memory corruption that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. Memory corruption vulnerabilities typically occur when software writes data to memory locations outside the intended bounds, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite critical program data, function pointers, or return addresses. This particular flaw falls under the category of heap-based buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions that are commonly exploited in exploit development frameworks. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service scenarios where system stability can be compromised through memory corruption attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations relying on Adobe Reader and Acrobat for document processing. The attack surface is extensive given the software's ubiquitous deployment across enterprise environments, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking to establish persistent access or disrupt business operations. The memory corruption aspect means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, as attackers could potentially execute malicious payloads with the privileges of the affected user. Network-based attacks are particularly concerning since users frequently encounter PDF documents from untrusted sources, making the exploitation vector highly accessible. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, which are fundamental weaknesses in memory management that have historically resulted in severe security consequences.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows common attack patterns observed in the cybersecurity landscape, particularly those documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques such as T1059 for command and script interpreter and T1106 for execution through command-line interface. Attackers typically leverage these memory corruption flaws by crafting malicious PDF documents that trigger the vulnerable code path when opened by an affected application. The impact on enterprise security operations includes increased incident response overhead, potential data breaches, and the need for immediate patch management across potentially thousands of endpoints. Organizations must prioritize the remediation of this vulnerability through timely application of Adobe's security patches, while also implementing network segmentation and email filtering controls to reduce exposure. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple product lines and operating systems underscores the importance of comprehensive vulnerability management programs and the need for regular security assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other software components.