CVE-2016-7004 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-2016-6974, 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-2016-7005, 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 • 10/19/2024
Adobe Reader and Acrobat products have long been prime targets for cyber attackers due to their widespread deployment and the complex nature of their codebases. This particular vulnerability CVE-2016-7004 represents a critical memory corruption flaw that affects multiple versions of Adobe's document processing software across both Windows and macOS platforms. The vulnerability exists in the way these applications handle certain input data, creating opportunities for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code or trigger denial of service conditions. Unlike other vulnerabilities in the same timeframe that were specifically related to different attack vectors, CVE-2016-7004 operates through distinct mechanisms that make it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within Adobe's PDF processing libraries. Attackers can craft malicious PDF files that, when opened by vulnerable versions of Adobe Reader or Acrobat, trigger memory corruption errors. These errors can manifest in various ways including buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or heap corruption that allows attackers to manipulate program execution flow. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple code paths within the application's PDF parsing engine could be exploited, making the vulnerability particularly challenging to defend against through simple signature-based detection methods. The memory corruption issues typically arise from inadequate bounds checking when processing malformed PDF objects or streams, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious code that executes with the privileges of the victim user.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-7004 extends far beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it provides attackers with the capability to achieve remote code execution on targeted systems. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because Adobe Reader and Acrobat are commonly used across enterprise environments where they process documents from untrusted sources including email attachments, web downloads, and file sharing platforms. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can allow attackers to bypass traditional security controls, escalate privileges, and establish persistent access to compromised systems. The memory corruption aspects of this vulnerability align with common attack patterns described in the ATT&CK framework under techniques such as process injection and privilege escalation, making it a significant concern for organizations that rely heavily on PDF document processing. The vulnerability's presence in both classic and continuous delivery versions of Adobe Acrobat DC indicates that the flaw was deeply embedded in the product architecture rather than being a simple patchable issue.
Organizations affected by CVE-2016-7004 should prioritize immediate remediation through official Adobe security patches, as the vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 11.0.18 or later for classic versions, and 15.006.30243 or later for DC Classic versions, with corresponding updates for the Continuous delivery versions. Beyond patching, organizations should implement additional defensive measures including email filtering to block suspicious PDF attachments, network segmentation to limit exposure, and user education to avoid opening untrusted documents. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to memory safety issues and improper input validation aligns with broader industry concerns about software security practices that fail to adequately protect against common exploitation techniques. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized PDF processing applications and deploy endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify suspicious behavior patterns associated with memory corruption exploits.