CVE-2016-1093 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-2016-1076, 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-2016-1095, 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
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 data structures during document processing, creating opportunities for attackers to execute arbitrary code or induce denial of service conditions. The vulnerability operates through unspecified vectors that differ from a comprehensive list of related CVE identifiers, indicating it represents a distinct attack surface within the Adobe Acrobat ecosystem. Security researchers have identified this as a heap-based buffer overflow condition that can be triggered when processing malformed PDF documents, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where adversaries craft malicious files to exploit the memory corruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory management errors that occur during the parsing of PDF objects and streams. When Adobe Reader or Acrobat processes specially crafted PDF files containing malformed data structures, the software fails to properly validate input parameters before allocating memory for processing. This leads to buffer overflows, memory corruption, and potential code execution privileges. The flaw specifically affects the way the applications handle certain PDF elements, particularly those related to object parsing, stream handling, and memory allocation routines. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting PDF documents that trigger the memory corruption during normal document rendering operations, effectively bypassing standard security controls and potentially gaining system-level access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on Adobe Acrobat products for document processing and viewing. The memory corruption can result in complete system compromise when exploited, allowing attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running the application. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual user systems to enterprise environments where PDF documents are frequently shared and processed. Organizations using older versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat are particularly vulnerable, as the affected versions include both legacy releases and early versions of the Continuous Delivery model. The attack surface is broad due to the widespread adoption of Adobe Acrobat products across various industries, including finance, healthcare, government, and legal services, where sensitive document handling occurs regularly.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 11.0.16, 15.006.30172, and 15.016.20039 respectively. Organizations should implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes that include regular security updates and system patching schedules. Network-based defenses should include PDF file scanning and filtering mechanisms to identify and block potentially malicious documents before they reach end users. Additionally, implementing least privilege access controls and user education about suspicious document attachments can significantly reduce exploitation risks. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted PDF processing applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 and CWE-122 categories related to buffer overflow conditions, and maps to ATT&CK techniques involving execution through compromised applications and privilege escalation through memory corruption exploits.