CVE-2016-1112 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 obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2024
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to 11.0.16, as well as Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30172 and DC Continuous before 15.016.20039 on Windows and OS X systems, contained a vulnerability that enabled attackers to obtain sensitive information through unspecified vectors. This vulnerability represents a significant security weakness in Adobe's document processing software, which is widely used for viewing and interacting with pdf documents across both enterprise and consumer environments. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways could potentially be exploited, making the vulnerability particularly concerning from a threat modeling perspective. The flaw falls under the category of information disclosure vulnerabilities, which can potentially lead to unauthorized access to confidential data that should remain protected within the application's memory or processing environment. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, allowing threat actors to gather intelligence about the target system or application state before attempting additional exploitation techniques.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely involves improper handling of memory or data structures within the pdf processing engine of Adobe Reader and Acrobat applications. When processing maliciously crafted pdf files or encountering specific document states, the applications may inadvertently expose internal memory contents or processing information that should remain confidential. This type of information disclosure can reveal sensitive details such as memory addresses, internal application state, or potentially even user data that has been processed by the application. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information gathering, as such disclosures can provide attackers with critical information needed to craft more targeted attacks against the same system or application. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack tree methodology where information disclosure serves as a precursor to privilege escalation or other advanced exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations relying on Adobe Reader and Acrobat for document processing and collaboration. Enterprises that depend on these applications for handling sensitive business documents, legal materials, or confidential communications face increased risk of data exposure through this vulnerability. The widespread adoption of Adobe Reader and Acrobat across different operating systems, including both Windows and OS X platforms, means that the potential attack surface is extensive. Organizations may experience cascading security implications as attackers could use the information obtained through this vulnerability to identify system configurations, application versions, or memory layouts that could facilitate subsequent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's presence in both classic and continuous delivery models of Adobe Acrobat DC indicates that the flaw affects multiple product variants and update channels, complicating remediation efforts for security teams managing diverse software environments. This type of vulnerability also impacts compliance requirements, as organizations may face regulatory scrutiny when sensitive information is potentially exposed through such security weaknesses.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and update deployment across all affected Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations. Organizations must prioritize updating to the patched versions that address the information disclosure issue, ensuring that both classic and continuous delivery models are properly updated. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability, particularly when analyzing pdf file processing activities. Security teams should implement additional controls such as pdf sandboxing, restricted file access, and content filtering to minimize the risk of exploitation even if the primary vulnerability cannot be immediately patched. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the vulnerable software within the organization's environment. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability should be documented as part of the organization's security posture assessment, with appropriate risk mitigation measures implemented to protect against potential data exposure. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust software update management processes to prevent similar issues from affecting critical business applications. This case demonstrates the ongoing need for security professionals to remain vigilant about vulnerabilities in widely-used software applications and to maintain proactive defense measures against information disclosure threats that can undermine overall security postures.