CVE-2016-7852 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-2016-7007, 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, CVE-2016-7019, CVE-2016-7853, and CVE-2016-7854.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2022
Adobe Reader and Acrobat products have long been targeted by cyber threat actors due to their widespread deployment and the complex nature of PDF processing. This particular vulnerability CVE-2016-7852 represents a critical memory corruption flaw that affects multiple versions of Adobe's document processing software across Windows and macOS platforms. The vulnerability exists within the core PDF parsing and rendering components that handle various document elements including embedded objects, graphics, and scripting capabilities. Security researchers have identified this issue as distinct from numerous other vulnerabilities within the same year, emphasizing its unique exploitation vectors and attack surface characteristics.
The technical implementation of this memory corruption vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management practices within Adobe's PDF processing engine. When processing malformed or specially crafted PDF documents, the application fails to properly validate memory allocations and deallocations, leading to potential buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption scenarios. These flaws typically manifest when the software encounters unexpected data structures or malformed elements within PDF files, particularly those involving complex graphics rendering or embedded content. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through routine PDF document processing, making it an attractive target for attackers who can deliver malicious payloads via email attachments or web downloads.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Adobe Reader and Acrobat for document processing. Attackers can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems with the privileges of the user running the application, potentially leading to full system compromise. The memory corruption nature also means that successful exploitation could result in denial of service conditions that persist until system restart, disrupting business operations. Organizations with limited security monitoring capabilities may not immediately detect exploitation attempts, allowing attackers to maintain persistent access to compromised systems. The vulnerability affects both desktop and mobile versions of the software, expanding the potential attack surface significantly. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, highlighting the memory safety issues inherent in the software's handling of PDF data structures. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a software exploitation technique involving code injection and privilege escalation, with potential for lateral movement once initial compromise occurs.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to the latest versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat as provided by Adobe's security advisory. The affected versions include Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 11.0.18, and Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30243, along with Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous before 15.020.20039. Additional mitigations include implementing strict email filtering policies to prevent potentially malicious PDF attachments from reaching users, deploying sandboxing solutions for PDF processing, and conducting regular security assessments to identify any remaining vulnerable systems. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be enhanced to detect unusual PDF processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should also consider disabling JavaScript execution in PDF documents when possible, as this reduces the attack surface for exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping document processing software up to date, as these types of memory corruption flaws are often discovered and patched within months of initial disclosure, making timely updates essential for maintaining security posture.