CVE-2016-1052 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 11.0.16, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30172, and Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous before 15.016.20039 on Windows and OS X allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-1045, CVE-2016-1046, CVE-2016-1047, CVE-2016-1048, CVE-2016-1049, CVE-2016-1050, CVE-2016-1051, CVE-2016-1053, CVE-2016-1054, CVE-2016-1055, CVE-2016-1056, CVE-2016-1057, CVE-2016-1058, CVE-2016-1059, CVE-2016-1060, CVE-2016-1061, CVE-2016-1065, CVE-2016-1066, CVE-2016-1067, CVE-2016-1068, CVE-2016-1069, CVE-2016-1070, CVE-2016-1075, CVE-2016-1094, CVE-2016-1121, CVE-2016-1122, CVE-2016-4102, and CVE-2016-4107.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/18/2022
The CVE-2016-1052 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Reader and Acrobat products that affects multiple versions across different platforms. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions where a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, creating potential exploitation opportunities for malicious actors. The flaw exists in versions prior to 11.0.16 for traditional Acrobat and Reader, and before 15.006.30172 for DC Classic, as well as before 15.016.20039 for DC Continuous on both Windows and OS X operating systems. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote code execution through unspecified attack vectors, making it a prime target for cybercriminals seeking to compromise systems through PDF documents.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within Adobe's PDF processing engine, where memory allocated to objects becomes accessible after being freed, enabling attackers to manipulate the freed memory location. This type of memory corruption vulnerability typically occurs when the application fails to properly track object references and maintain proper memory lifecycle management. The exploitation process often involves crafting a malicious PDF document that triggers the vulnerable code path, causing the application to free memory that is subsequently accessed, leading to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw means that attackers can exploit it without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1052 extends beyond simple exploitation, as it represents a significant threat vector for advanced persistent threats and zero-day attacks. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can gain complete control over affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, and lateral movement within networks. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software like Adobe Reader and Acrobat makes it particularly attractive to threat actors, as it provides access to numerous endpoints across organizations. Security professionals must consider this vulnerability as part of broader threat modeling activities, particularly when evaluating the attack surface of document processing applications and the potential for privilege escalation attacks that could occur once initial compromise is achieved.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including prompt patch deployment for all affected Adobe products, along with enhanced email filtering and web application firewalls to prevent exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, highlighting the need for comprehensive endpoint protection measures. Additional defensive measures include restricting user permissions when opening PDF documents, implementing sandboxing technologies, and conducting regular security assessments of document processing workflows. The vulnerability's occurrence across multiple product lines and versions emphasizes the importance of maintaining up-to-date software inventories and establishing robust patch management processes that can quickly respond to similar vulnerabilities in the future. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation through social engineering attacks that involve malicious PDF attachments.