CVE-2016-4261 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-2016-4260, 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 independent analysis and remediation. The memory corruption issue typically arises from improper handling of user-supplied input or malformed data structures during processing of digital content, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate memory layout and execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. The vulnerability affects the software's ability to properly validate and process digital publications, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious payloads or cause application crashes through carefully crafted input. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, or CWE-122, stack-based buffer overflow, depending on the specific memory corruption mechanism exploited. The attack surface extends to users who process digital content through Adobe Digital Editions, particularly when opening maliciously crafted e-books or documents that trigger the vulnerable code path. This vulnerability impacts the software's memory management subsystem and can be exploited through various input vectors including but not limited to malformed metadata, corrupted file structures, or specially crafted digital content that bypasses normal validation checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation to include potential system compromise and data integrity breaches. When successfully exploited, the memory corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution on the target system, potentially allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive information, or establish persistent access. The denial of service component of this vulnerability can be leveraged to disrupt legitimate user activities by causing application crashes or system instability. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for exploitation for client execution, as attackers can leverage the memory corruption to gain control over the application's execution flow. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given that Adobe Digital Editions is widely used for reading digital publications, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to compromise end-user systems through content-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of Adobe Digital Editions to version 4.5.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory corruption issue. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running older versions of the software, particularly in environments where users might encounter untrusted digital content. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual application behavior or memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, with particular attention to processes associated with Adobe Digital Editions. Network-based protections can be implemented through content filtering systems that block or quarantine suspicious digital content before it reaches end-user systems. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening digital content from untrusted sources and encouraged to maintain current software versions. System administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of older versions of Adobe Digital Editions until proper patching can be completed. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation in preventing memory corruption exploits, aligning with security best practices outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-128 for application security and ISO 27001 for information security management.