CVE-2016-6962 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 11.0.18, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30243, and Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous before 15.020.20039 on Windows and OS X allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-1089, CVE-2016-1091, CVE-2016-6944, CVE-2016-6945, CVE-2016-6946, CVE-2016-6949, CVE-2016-6952, CVE-2016-6953, CVE-2016-6961, CVE-2016-6963, CVE-2016-6964, CVE-2016-6965, CVE-2016-6967, CVE-2016-6968, CVE-2016-6969, CVE-2016-6971, CVE-2016-6979, CVE-2016-6988, and CVE-2016-6993.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6962 represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Adobe Reader and Acrobat products across multiple versions and operating systems. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory locations after they have been freed, creating opportunities for malicious code execution. The affected software versions include Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 11.0.18, as well as various DC Classic and Continuous versions with specific build numbers. The vulnerability affects both Windows and OS X platforms, demonstrating its widespread impact across different operating environments. Security researchers have confirmed this issue is distinct from numerous other vulnerabilities reported in the same timeframe, indicating a unique exploitation vector that requires specific mitigation approaches.
The technical nature of this use-after-free vulnerability stems from improper memory management within Adobe's PDF processing engine. When parsing maliciously crafted PDF documents, the application fails to properly validate memory references, allowing attackers to manipulate freed memory blocks. This memory corruption can be leveraged to overwrite critical program structures or inject malicious code into the application's execution context. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the CVE description suggest that the vulnerability can be triggered through various PDF parsing operations, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can potentially exploit multiple entry points. The flaw operates at the core of Adobe's document rendering functionality, where PDF objects are processed and managed in memory.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise environments and individual users who regularly process PDF documents. Attackers can craft malicious PDF files that, when opened in vulnerable versions of Adobe Reader or Acrobat, will trigger the use-after-free condition and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected user. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to potentially allow full system compromise, especially when users have administrative privileges or access to sensitive data. The vulnerability's presence in both legacy and newer Adobe DC versions indicates that organizations must maintain comprehensive patch management processes to protect against this threat. The widespread adoption of Adobe Reader across corporate and personal environments amplifies the potential impact, as a single compromised document can affect numerous users.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory security updates to patch vulnerable Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations. The recommended approach involves deploying patches from Adobe's security bulletin specifically addressing CVE-2016-6962, ensuring all affected versions are updated to the latest secure releases. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security measures such as PDF sandboxing, restricted file access controls, and network-based protections to limit exposure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software applications. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability could map to multiple ATT&CK techniques including initial access through malicious document delivery and execution through code injection methods. Regular security assessments and user awareness training regarding suspicious PDF attachments should complement technical controls to provide comprehensive protection against this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.