CVE-2017-11219 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat Reader 2017.009.20058 and earlier, 2017.008.30051 and earlier, 2015.006.30306 and earlier, and 11.0.20 and earlier has an exploitable use after free vulnerability in the XFA rendering engine. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11219 represents a critical use after free flaw within Adobe Acrobat Reader's XFA rendering engine, affecting multiple versions including 2017.009.20058 and earlier, 2017.008.30051 and earlier, 2015.006.30306 and earlier, and 11.0.20 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the XFA (XML Forms Architecture) processing component that handles dynamic form rendering within PDF documents, making it a prime target for exploitation due to the widespread use of PDF forms in business and government environments. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate memory management during form processing, creating conditions where freed memory blocks can be accessed and reused by malicious code, which directly maps to CWE-416, the use after free vulnerability category that has been consistently ranked among the most dangerous memory safety issues in software security.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious PDF document containing specially crafted XFA content is opened within the affected Adobe Acrobat Reader versions. During the rendering process, the XFA engine allocates memory for form elements and subsequently frees this memory when processing is complete. However, due to improper memory management controls, an attacker can manipulate the document structure to cause the engine to reference already freed memory locations, potentially allowing code execution in the context of the current user. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the legitimate application context, bypassing many traditional security controls and operating system protections that typically prevent unauthorized code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-11219 extends far beyond simple code execution capabilities, as it provides attackers with a means to achieve persistent access to target systems. Once exploited, the vulnerability allows adversaries to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Acrobat Reader, potentially enabling full system compromise through additional attack vectors. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers the execution of malicious code through legitimate system tools, and demonstrates how vulnerabilities in widely deployed applications can create significant attack surface expansion. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening a malicious document, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns and targeted attacks where social engineering can be combined with the technical exploit to achieve unauthorized access.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including prompt patching of all affected Adobe Acrobat Reader versions, network-based restrictions on PDF document handling, and user education regarding the dangers of opening untrusted PDF files. The vulnerability's classification as a use after free issue places it within the broader category of memory corruption vulnerabilities that have historically been exploited for privilege escalation and persistent access. Security teams should also consider implementing sandboxing measures for PDF processing, monitoring for suspicious memory access patterns, and maintaining updated threat intelligence on related attack techniques. This vulnerability exemplifies the critical importance of keeping enterprise software updated and the necessity of comprehensive vulnerability management programs that address both known and emerging threats in widely used applications.