CVE-2016-0946 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-2016-0944, and CVE-2016-0945.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2022
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to 11.0.14, as well as Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30119 and DC Continuous before 15.010.20056 on both Windows and macOS platforms, contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution and denial of service attacks. This vulnerability represents a distinct security flaw from several other related issues within the same year, specifically excluding CVE-2016-0931, CVE-2016-0933, CVE-2016-0936, CVE-2016-0938, CVE-2016-0939, CVE-2016-0942, and CVE-2016-0944, indicating that attackers could exploit this particular weakness through unspecified attack vectors that were not covered by the previously identified vulnerabilities. The memory corruption flaw occurred when the affected Adobe applications processed specially crafted PDF files, leading to unpredictable behavior that could be leveraged by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on the target system or cause the application to crash, thereby enabling denial of service conditions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within Adobe's PDF processing libraries, where insufficient input validation and buffer overflow protections allowed attackers to manipulate memory structures during PDF file parsing. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the CWE-121 category of "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" or CWE-122 "Heap-based Buffer Overflow" classifications, depending on the specific memory corruption pattern exploited. The flaw manifested when the application failed to properly validate the structure and content of PDF objects, particularly those related to embedded scripts or complex data structures. Attackers could craft malicious PDF documents that would trigger memory corruption upon parsing, potentially allowing them to overwrite critical memory locations or manipulate program execution flow. The vulnerability's impact was significant as it could be exploited remotely through web browsers, email attachments, or any scenario where users might open malicious PDF files, making it a prime target for widespread exploitation campaigns.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability posed substantial risk to organizations relying on Adobe Reader and Acrobat for document processing, as the attack surface was extensive given the widespread use of these applications across enterprise environments. The potential for remote code execution meant that successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to target systems. The denial of service aspect further amplified the threat, as attackers could disrupt business operations by causing Adobe applications to crash repeatedly, thereby preventing legitimate users from accessing critical documents. Organizations with strict compliance requirements faced additional challenges, as this vulnerability could potentially violate security standards such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001, which mandate robust protection against known vulnerabilities. The attack vectors were particularly concerning as they could be delivered through common channels including phishing emails, compromised websites, or malicious file sharing platforms, making traditional security controls insufficient without proper patch management procedures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patch deployment across all affected systems, with security administrators prioritizing the update of Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations to versions that contained the necessary security fixes. Organizations should have implemented comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure timely deployment of security updates and established monitoring procedures to detect exploitation attempts. Network security controls such as web proxies, email filtering systems, and application whitelisting could provide additional layers of protection while patches were being deployed. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date software inventory and implementing automated vulnerability scanning processes to identify unpatched systems. Security teams should have also considered implementing behavioral monitoring solutions to detect anomalous application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, as well as establishing incident response procedures specifically tailored to handle Adobe-related vulnerabilities. Organizations could have benefited from following ATT&CK framework tactics such as T1059 for execution and T1070 for indicator removal, ensuring comprehensive coverage of potential exploitation pathways and defensive measures against similar vulnerabilities.