CVE-2016-7007 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-2016-7006, 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 targets for sophisticated cyber attacks due to their widespread use and the complex nature of PDF processing. This particular vulnerability CVE-2016-7007 represents a critical memory corruption flaw that affects multiple versions of Adobe's desktop applications across Windows and macOS platforms. The vulnerability exists within the parsing and rendering components of these applications, specifically in how they handle certain PDF objects and structures during document processing. Unlike other vulnerabilities in the same year that were primarily focused on specific exploitation techniques, CVE-2016-7007 demonstrates a broader class of memory corruption issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The flaw manifests when the application processes malformed PDF content that triggers improper memory handling, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate heap memory structures through carefully crafted malicious documents. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in memory corruption and unauthorized code execution. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that PDF documents are commonly shared via email attachments, web downloads, and file transfers, making this a prime target for initial access vectors in targeted campaigns. Security researchers have identified that exploitation of this vulnerability typically involves crafting PDF files with malformed objects that cause the application to allocate or access memory beyond its intended boundaries. The memory corruption can occur during various stages of PDF processing including parsing of streams, object structures, or embedded content, making it difficult to detect through traditional signature-based methods. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous when combined with other exploits in the same CVE family, as it can serve as a foundation for more complex attack chains. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service scenarios where the application crashes or becomes unresponsive, disrupting business operations and user productivity. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat are exposed to significant risk as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to systems, escalate privileges, or deploy additional malware payloads. The vulnerability's presence in both classic and continuous delivery versions of Adobe Acrobat DC indicates that the memory corruption issue affects the core PDF processing engine regardless of the product variant. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a critical gap in endpoint security that requires immediate attention and remediation to prevent successful exploitation attempts. The complexity of the PDF format and the extensive functionality of Adobe's applications create numerous potential attack paths through which this memory corruption can be exploited. The vulnerability's classification under memory corruption patterns aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which involves the execution of malicious code through compromised applications. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to address this vulnerability and consider network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement if exploitation occurs. The remediation process requires updating to Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 11.0.18, 15.006.30243, or 15.020.20039 respectively, depending on the product variant in use. Security teams should also implement monitoring for suspicious PDF file handling activities and consider deploying application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of vulnerable Adobe components. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in securing complex document processing applications where the sheer volume of supported features creates numerous potential security gaps. This particular issue highlights the importance of regular security assessments and the need for robust input validation mechanisms in applications that process untrusted data formats. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as sandboxing mechanisms and email filtering to reduce the risk of exploitation through common attack vectors. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple product versions underscores the necessity of maintaining current security patches and implementing comprehensive vulnerability management programs to address similar issues in other software components.