CVE-2017-11265 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 Adobe Graphics Manager module. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11265 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Adobe Acrobat Reader's Adobe Graphics Manager module, 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 handling of graphics processing operations that occur when parsing PDF documents, specifically within the Adobe Graphics Manager component responsible for rendering complex graphical elements and vector graphics. The flaw manifests as an insufficient validation of user-supplied data during the graphics processing pipeline, creating a condition where malformed or maliciously crafted graphic elements can trigger memory corruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper memory management during the processing of graphics objects within PDF files, particularly when handling certain graphic rendering commands or embedded graphic elements. Attackers can craft specially designed PDF documents that, when opened in the vulnerable versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader, cause the Adobe Graphics Manager module to improperly handle memory allocation and deallocation operations. This leads to buffer overflows, heap corruption, or other memory manipulation conditions that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the victim user. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, demonstrating the classic patterns of memory corruption vulnerabilities in graphical processing components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a persistent vector for compromise within environments where Adobe Acrobat Reader is commonly deployed. Organizations utilizing older versions of Adobe Reader face significant risk since these applications are frequently used to open documents from untrusted sources, including email attachments, web downloads, and file sharing platforms. The exploitability of this vulnerability is particularly concerning given that Adobe Reader is widely deployed across enterprise networks and is often used to process documents containing embedded graphics, making the attack surface substantial. Successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within network environments, as attackers can leverage the arbitrary code execution capability to install persistent backdoors or deploy additional malware.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-11265 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The primary recommendation involves immediate patching of all affected Adobe Acrobat Reader installations to the latest versions that contain fixes for the Adobe Graphics Manager module. Organizations should also implement network-based security controls including web application firewalls and content filtering systems that can detect and block malicious PDF files before they reach end-user systems. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing sandboxing technologies for PDF processing, which can isolate the Adobe Reader application from the underlying operating system and limit the potential damage from successful exploits. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, and T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the need for comprehensive endpoint protection strategies that include application whitelisting and privilege separation measures. Organizations should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify other potentially affected systems and ensure that all Adobe Reader installations are properly updated and maintained.