CVE-2016-4263 in Digital Editions
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Digital Editions before 4.5.2 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2022
The CVE-2016-4263 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Digital Editions software versions prior to 4.5.2, constituting a severe security weakness that enables remote code execution. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category, specifically addressing use-after-free conditions where memory is accessed after it has been freed, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate program execution flow. The flaw exists within Adobe Digital Editions' handling of memory management during document processing operations, particularly when parsing malformed or maliciously crafted digital content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application processes digital publications that contain specially crafted data structures designed to trigger memory corruption during normal operation. Attackers can exploit this weakness by preparing malicious content that, when opened within Adobe Digital Editions, causes the application to free memory resources while still maintaining references to them. This creates a scenario where subsequent operations can overwrite freed memory with attacker-controlled data, ultimately allowing arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected user. The unspecified vectors in the original description indicate that multiple attack surfaces within the application's document parsing functionality could be leveraged, including XML processing, PDF handling, or embedded object manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to gain complete control over affected systems running vulnerable versions of Adobe Digital Editions. This represents a significant risk to users who frequently download and read digital publications, particularly in enterprise environments where the software may be widely deployed. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious PDF files, EPUB documents, or other digital content formats supported by the application. Organizations using Adobe Digital Editions for digital library management, educational content distribution, or corporate document sharing face heightened exposure to this threat, as the attack surface includes legitimate content delivery channels that users may not suspect as potential attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4263 primarily focus on immediate software updates to Adobe Digital Editions version 4.5.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the use-after-free condition. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all vulnerable installations are updated promptly. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based protections such as content filtering and sandboxing techniques to limit exposure even when immediate updates are not feasible. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management practices in software development and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and script interpreter usage, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on compromised systems. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual memory access patterns and potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability class.