CVE-2016-6974 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
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 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-6940, CVE-2016-6941, CVE-2016-6942, CVE-2016-6943, CVE-2016-6947, CVE-2016-6948, CVE-2016-6950, CVE-2016-6951, CVE-2016-6954, CVE-2016-6955, CVE-2016-6956, CVE-2016-6959, CVE-2016-6960, CVE-2016-6966, CVE-2016-6970, CVE-2016-6972, CVE-2016-6973, CVE-2016-6975, CVE-2016-6976, CVE-2016-6977, CVE-2016-6978, CVE-2016-6995, CVE-2016-6996, CVE-2016-6997, CVE-2016-6998, CVE-2016-7000, CVE-2016-7001, CVE-2016-7002, CVE-2016-7003, CVE-2016-7004, CVE-2016-7005, CVE-2016-7006, CVE-2016-7007, CVE-2016-7008, CVE-2016-7009, CVE-2016-7010, CVE-2016-7011, CVE-2016-7012, CVE-2016-7013, CVE-2016-7014, CVE-2016-7015, CVE-2016-7016, CVE-2016-7017, CVE-2016-7018, and CVE-2016-7019.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat products across Windows and macOS platforms. The issue stems from improper handling of malformed input data within the PDF processing engine, creating opportunities for remote code execution or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is classified as a memory corruption issue that falls under the broader category of buffer overflow conditions, which are commonly exploited in cyber attacks targeting document readers. Security researchers have identified that this flaw operates through unspecified vectors, distinguishing it from a dozen other related vulnerabilities in the same advisory cycle, thereby indicating a unique exploitation pathway within Adobe's PDF parsing functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of PDF objects and streams that are processed by Adobe's document rendering engine. When a maliciously crafted PDF file is opened, the vulnerable code path triggers memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the victim user. The memory corruption occurs during the parsing and rendering of specific PDF elements, potentially involving improper bounds checking or use of uninitialized memory. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows for privilege escalation and can be exploited through social engineering techniques where users are tricked into opening malicious PDF documents. The flaw represents a classic example of a heap-based buffer overflow or use-after-free condition that can be exploited to gain complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to include full system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. Organizations running affected versions of Adobe Reader or Acrobat are at significant risk of targeted attacks, especially in environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's presence in both classic and continuous deployment versions of Acrobat DC indicates that the flaw affects the core PDF processing engine regardless of the installation model. Security analysts have noted that this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the attack pattern taxonomy, particularly those involving initial access through malicious documents and privilege escalation through memory corruption exploits. The vulnerability's exploitation potential makes it a high-value target for advanced persistent threat actors and nation-state attackers who seek to establish persistent access to target networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of all affected Adobe products to the latest available versions. System administrators should implement strict document handling policies that include sandboxing PDF files and restricting user access to potentially malicious content. Network security controls should be enhanced to monitor for suspicious PDF file transfers and implement deep packet inspection of document content. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-125 indicates it involves out-of-bounds read conditions, while its exploitation characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate program exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions to identify potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process requires comprehensive testing of patched versions to ensure compatibility with existing workflows while maintaining security posture against this and related vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs should be strengthened to address similar memory corruption issues that may exist in other software components.