CVE-2016-1076 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-2016-1072, CVE-2016-1073, CVE-2016-1074, 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 • 10/21/2024
Adobe Reader and Acrobat products have long been prime targets for cyber adversaries due to their widespread deployment and the complex nature of PDF processing. This particular vulnerability affects multiple versions of Adobe's desktop applications across different operating systems, creating a substantial attack surface that spans from legacy systems to newer continuous delivery models. The flaw manifests as a memory corruption issue that can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution or cause denial of service conditions, representing a critical security weakness in document processing software.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves unspecified vectors that differ from numerous other CVEs published in the same timeframe, indicating a unique exploitation pathway that requires careful analysis of the underlying code structures. Memory corruption vulnerabilities typically arise from improper handling of memory allocation, deallocation, or buffer overflows that can be manipulated by attackers to overwrite critical program data or execute malicious code. This particular flaw exists within the core PDF parsing and rendering components of Adobe's applications, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered simply by opening a maliciously crafted PDF document.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond individual user systems, as Adobe Reader and Acrobat are deployed across enterprise environments, government agencies, and critical infrastructure organizations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through social engineering campaigns targeting end users, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or persistent backdoor installations. The memory corruption nature means that successful exploitation could result in system crashes or more dangerous scenarios where attackers gain remote code execution capabilities, potentially allowing them to escalate privileges and establish persistent access to target systems.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to the patched versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat, specifically versions 11.0.16, 15.006.30172, and 15.016.20039 respectively. Security teams should implement network-based detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts and monitor for unusual PDF processing activities. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) or similar memory corruption weaknesses, demonstrating how legacy software components remain attractive targets for sophisticated adversaries. Additional mitigations include implementing sandboxing technologies, restricting PDF file handling permissions, and deploying email filtering solutions to prevent delivery of malicious PDF attachments.