CVE-2016-1065 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-2016-1052, 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-2016-1066, 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 • 10/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1065 represents a critical use-after-free flaw affecting Adobe Reader and Acrobat products across multiple versions and operating systems. This security weakness specifically impacts Windows and OS X platforms where the affected software fails to properly manage memory allocation and deallocation processes. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory references that persist beyond their intended usage period, creating opportunities for malicious code execution through carefully crafted input vectors. The flaw operates within the memory management subsystem of Adobe's document processing engine, where freed memory blocks are accessed after being returned to the system's memory pool.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which categorizes use-after-free conditions as a fundamental memory safety issue. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious PDF documents that trigger the vulnerable code path during document processing. When the application processes these specially constructed documents, it attempts to access memory that has already been freed, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected user. The vulnerability operates through unspecified vectors that typically involve manipulation of PDF objects, streams, or embedded content that triggers the memory management error. This particular flaw demonstrates how improper resource handling in complex document processing software can create persistent security risks that extend across multiple product versions and release cycles.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1065 extends beyond simple code execution capabilities to encompass full system compromise potential. Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute malicious code remotely without requiring user interaction beyond opening the compromised document, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The vulnerability affects widely deployed software across enterprise environments, where Adobe Reader remains a standard component for document viewing. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can potentially establish persistent access, escalate privileges, or deploy additional malicious payloads. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that PDF documents are commonly shared through email attachments, web downloads, and file transfer protocols, providing multiple attack vectors for threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch deployment across all affected Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations. Organizations should prioritize updating to the latest versions that contain the necessary memory management fixes, specifically targeting Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 11.0.16, 15.006.30172, and 15.016.20039 respectively. Security administrators should implement additional protective measures such as PDF sandboxing, restricted file access controls, and network-based filtering to prevent exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation and code execution techniques, emphasizing the need for layered defense mechanisms. Network administrators should consider implementing email filtering solutions that can detect and block potentially malicious PDF attachments, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious memory access patterns. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits should be conducted to ensure comprehensive protection against similar memory safety issues that may arise in other software components.