CVE-2016-7006 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-2016-7004, CVE-2016-7005, 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 adversaries due to their widespread deployment and the privileged execution context they operate within. This particular vulnerability affects multiple versions of Adobe's PDF rendering software across both Windows and macOS platforms, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability stems from memory corruption issues that can be triggered through malformed PDF files, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes. Unlike other vulnerabilities in the same advisory, this flaw represents a distinct code path that requires separate mitigation strategies. The affected versions include legacy releases such as Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 11.0.18, as well as the DC Classic and DC Continuous variants before specific build numbers, indicating this issue spans multiple product lines and release cycles.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a memory corruption flaw that occurs during PDF processing operations, specifically when handling certain malformed or crafted input data. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient bounds checking or improper memory management within the PDF parser component of Adobe's software. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially designed PDF documents that, when opened in the vulnerable software, trigger memory corruption conditions. These conditions can lead to either remote code execution where malicious payloads are executed with the privileges of the affected application, or denial of service scenarios where the application crashes and becomes unavailable to legitimate users. The memory corruption aspect places this vulnerability in the category of software flaws that can be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks, as the Adobe applications typically run with elevated permissions to process PDF documents. This vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns found in the ATT&CK framework under the technique of exploitation for privilege escalation and execution of malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system compromise, as it affects organizations that rely heavily on PDF document processing for business operations. In enterprise environments, this vulnerability could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive documents, execute malicious code on user workstations, or disrupt critical business processes through denial of service attacks. The broad range of affected versions indicates that organizations with older deployments or those that have not applied security updates may be at risk. The fact that this vulnerability affects both Windows and macOS platforms means that organizations must implement comprehensive patch management strategies across their entire computing environment. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to organizations that have not maintained up-to-date security patches, as it provides a clear path for attackers to compromise systems through social engineering campaigns that deliver malicious PDF files. The vulnerability's classification under CWE 125 (Out-of-bounds Read) and CWE 787 (Out-of-bounds Write) demonstrates the fundamental memory safety issues that have plagued PDF processing applications for years.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability through official Adobe security updates, as the exploitation of such flaws typically occurs rapidly in the wild once public information becomes available. The patching process should include all affected versions mentioned in the advisory, with particular attention to legacy installations that may not have received regular updates. Security teams should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, including unusual PDF file processing patterns or attempts to access vulnerable system components. Additional mitigations include implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict PDF processing to trusted applications, deploying sandboxing technologies to isolate PDF document handling, and conducting regular security assessments to identify unpatched systems within the organization. The vulnerability's nature as a memory corruption issue makes it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, and removable media, requiring comprehensive defensive strategies. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing layered security controls to protect against zero-day exploits that target widely deployed software applications.