CVE-2017-11245 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 memory corruption vulnerability in the image conversion engine when processing Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF) private data. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11245 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Adobe Acrobat Reader's image conversion engine that specifically targets the processing of Enhanced Metafile Format EMF private data. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader including 2017.009.20058 and earlier, 2017.008.30051 and earlier, 2015.006.3030306 and earlier, and 11.0.20 and earlier versions, making it a widespread issue across several major release lines. The flaw resides in the software's handling of EMF private data structures, which are commonly used in Windows graphics environments for storing vector graphics and metafile information.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the image conversion engine component of Adobe Acrobat Reader. When processing EMF files containing private data, the application fails to properly validate the structure and bounds of the data being processed, leading to memory corruption conditions that can be exploited by malicious actors. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common precursors to arbitrary code execution exploits. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for execution through memory corruption attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation scenarios as it provides attackers with a pathway to achieve arbitrary code execution on vulnerable systems. Once successfully exploited, an attacker could gain complete control over the affected system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, or further network infiltration. The vulnerability's exploitable nature means that merely opening a maliciously crafted EMF file could result in system compromise, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where adversaries might distribute such files through phishing campaigns or other social engineering methods. The widespread adoption of Adobe Acrobat Reader across enterprise environments amplifies the potential impact, as a single compromised system could serve as a foothold for broader network attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-11245 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Adobe, as the vendor has released security updates addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies that prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious EMF files, particularly in high-risk environments. Network-based defenses such as email filtering and web proxies should be configured to block suspicious EMF file attachments and downloads. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of Adobe Acrobat Reader to trusted environments only, while monitoring for unusual file processing activities. The vulnerability's characteristics make it particularly susceptible to automated exploitation, necessitating proactive security measures that go beyond traditional patch management approaches. Security teams should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous behavior patterns associated with exploitation attempts, as the memory corruption nature of the vulnerability may leave subtle traces that can be detected through behavioral analysis rather than signature-based detection methods.