CVE-2016-1066 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-2016-1065, 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-2016-1066 represents a critical use-after-free condition affecting Adobe Reader and Acrobat products across multiple versions and operating systems. This flaw resides within the document processing components of these applications, specifically in how they handle memory allocation and deallocation when processing maliciously crafted PDF files. The issue manifests as a memory management error where a program continues to reference memory locations that have already been freed, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through carefully constructed input data. Such vulnerabilities typically arise from insufficient validation of object lifecycles within complex software applications, particularly when dealing with untrusted input from PDF documents.
The technical exploitation of this use-after-free vulnerability enables remote code execution capabilities, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable versions of Adobe Reader or Acrobat. The attack vector typically involves tricking users into opening malicious PDF files, which then trigger the memory corruption when the application processes specific elements within the document structure. This particular vulnerability operates at a low level within the application's memory management system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to bypass modern security protections such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention mechanisms. The flaw's classification aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software development where memory is accessed after it has been freed.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1066 extends beyond simple exploitation, as it can be weaponized through various attack frameworks and techniques. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability can be effectively combined with other exploitation methods to achieve persistent access or escalate privileges within compromised systems. The vulnerability affects both Windows and macOS operating systems, demonstrating the cross-platform nature of the memory management flaw. Organizations running affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader face significant risk of compromise, particularly in environments where users frequently encounter PDF documents from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's presence in both legacy and newer versions of the software indicates that Adobe's memory management implementation contained fundamental flaws that persisted across multiple product iterations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-1066 primarily focus on immediate software updates and deployment of patches provided by Adobe. Organizations should prioritize updating to Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 11.0.16, 15.006.30172, or 15.016.20039 respectively, depending on their product version. Additionally, implementing application control measures such as Adobe's Protected Mode and sandboxing features can provide additional defense layers. Network-level protections including PDF file scanning and content filtering systems can help detect and block malicious documents before they reach end users. Security teams should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that might lead users to open malicious PDF files. The vulnerability's exploitation patterns align with techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the 'Exploitation' and 'Persistence' domains, where attackers leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities to establish footholds within target environments. Organizations should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, including unusual network connections or file modifications that might occur during exploitation attempts.