CVE-2016-4260 in Digital Editions
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Digital Editions before 4.5.2 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4256, CVE-2016-4257, CVE-2016-4258, CVE-2016-4259, CVE-2016-4261, and CVE-2016-4262.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2022
Adobe Digital Editions version 4.5.1 and earlier contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution or denial of service attacks through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct security flaw from other related CVEs in the same year, indicating a separate code path or component within the software that requires specific attention. The vulnerability stems from improper memory handling during processing of specially crafted content, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate memory structures through crafted input files or network streams. The memory corruption occurs when the application processes certain data structures without adequate bounds checking or validation, creating opportunities for exploitation through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management flaws that fall under the CWE-121 and CWE-122 categories. This vulnerability specifically affects the document processing engine of Adobe Digital Editions, which handles various digital content formats including epub, pdf, and other digital publication formats. The attack surface is broad as the application processes content from multiple sources including local files, network streams, and embedded content within digital publications. The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in complete system compromise when successful, as attackers can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application, potentially leading to privilege escalation or persistent backdoor installation. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the memory corruption can be leveraged to gain full control over the target system. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and potentially T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, depending on the execution context and target system configuration. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because Adobe Digital Editions is widely used for reading digital books and publications, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to compromise end-user systems through malicious content distribution. The memory corruption can be triggered through various attack vectors including specially crafted digital publications, embedded malicious content within legitimate files, or through man-in-the-middle attacks that modify content during transmission. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond opening a malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. Organizations should prioritize updating to Adobe Digital Editions version 4.5.2 or later, which includes patches addressing this memory corruption vulnerability. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider deploying application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted digital content. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper memory management in document processing applications and the need for comprehensive input validation across all data processing components.
Adobe Digital Editions 4.5.1 and earlier versions contain a memory corruption vulnerability that allows remote code execution or denial of service through unspecified attack vectors, distinct from other CVEs in the same timeframe. This vulnerability represents a separate code path within the application's processing engine, specifically affecting how the software handles memory allocation and deallocation during document processing operations. The flaw manifests as improper bounds checking when processing digital content, creating potential for buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions that can be exploited by remote attackers. The vulnerability affects the core document rendering engine which processes multiple digital publication formats including epub, pdf, and other content types that Adobe Digital Editions supports for reading and viewing. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through maliciously crafted digital publications or content streams that trigger the memory corruption during normal application operation. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that it does not require user interaction beyond opening a malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where attackers can distribute malicious content through various channels. The memory corruption can be triggered through network-based attacks or local file manipulation, with the potential for privilege escalation if the application runs with elevated privileges. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to memory corruption patterns including CWE-121 for buffer overflow and CWE-122 for heap-based buffer overflow, indicating the fundamental memory management flaw in the application's processing logic. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 for execution through command and scripting interpreters, as successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution within the application context. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple application compromise, as successful exploitation can result in complete system takeover, making it a critical security concern for organizations and individuals using Adobe Digital Editions. The patch provided in Adobe Digital Editions 4.5.2 addresses the underlying memory handling issues by implementing proper bounds checking and validation mechanisms for all input processing operations. Security professionals should prioritize this update across all systems running vulnerable versions of Adobe Digital Editions and implement monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of secure coding practices in document processing applications and the necessity of thorough input validation to prevent memory corruption attacks. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as network segmentation and application control measures to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in securing digital content processing applications and the need for continuous security assessment and patch management processes to protect against memory-based attacks.