CVE-2016-1072 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
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 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-1037, CVE-2016-1063, CVE-2016-1064, CVE-2016-1071, CVE-2016-1073, CVE-2016-1074, CVE-2016-1076, CVE-2016-1077, CVE-2016-1078, CVE-2016-1080, CVE-2016-1081, CVE-2016-1082, CVE-2016-1083, CVE-2016-1084, CVE-2016-1085, CVE-2016-1086, CVE-2016-1088, CVE-2016-1093, CVE-2016-1095, CVE-2016-1116, CVE-2016-1118, CVE-2016-1119, CVE-2016-1120, CVE-2016-1123, CVE-2016-1124, CVE-2016-1125, CVE-2016-1126, CVE-2016-1127, CVE-2016-1128, CVE-2016-1129, CVE-2016-1130, CVE-2016-4088, CVE-2016-4089, CVE-2016-4090, CVE-2016-4093, CVE-2016-4094, CVE-2016-4096, CVE-2016-4097, CVE-2016-4098, CVE-2016-4099, CVE-2016-4100, CVE-2016-4101, CVE-2016-4103, CVE-2016-4104, and CVE-2016-4105.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat software across Windows and macOS platforms. The issue stems from improper handling of certain input data structures within the PDF processing engine, creating opportunities for remote code execution or denial of service conditions. Unlike other vulnerabilities in the same advisory, CVE-2016-1072 operates through distinct exploitation vectors that specifically target memory management functions within the application's parsing routines. The vulnerability manifests when the affected software processes maliciously crafted PDF documents, leading to unpredictable behavior that can be leveraged by attackers to gain unauthorized system access or disrupt normal operations.
The technical nature of this flaw aligns with common software security weaknesses classified under CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, concerning out-of-bounds write operations. These memory corruption vulnerabilities typically arise when applications fail to properly validate input data before processing it in memory, allowing attackers to manipulate memory addresses and execute arbitrary code. The exploitation process often involves crafting PDF files with malformed structures that trigger buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions within the Adobe Acrobat engine. Attackers can leverage these conditions to inject malicious payloads that execute with the privileges of the targeted user, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments where Adobe Reader and Acrobat are widely deployed for document processing. The impact extends beyond individual user systems to potentially affect entire network infrastructures, especially in organizations that rely heavily on PDF document sharing and processing. Security teams must consider that successful exploitation can result in persistent backdoors, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within networks. The vulnerability's presence in both legacy and newer versions of Adobe software creates a broad attack surface, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with mixed software environments. Organizations may experience service disruptions due to denial of service conditions, while the potential for remote code execution creates opportunities for advanced persistent threats to establish footholds within target environments.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Adobe's security patches, which address the underlying memory corruption issues through improved input validation and memory management routines. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can help reduce the attack surface by limiting which systems can process PDF documents. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual PDF processing activities and potential exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis. Organizations should also implement email filtering solutions that can identify and block malicious PDF attachments before they reach end users. The remediation process should follow industry best practices outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and align with ATT&CK framework techniques related to privilege escalation and execution through legitimate user processes. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of vulnerable software versions within the organization's infrastructure.