CVE-2017-11273 in Digital Editions
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Adobe Digital Editions 4.5.6 and earlier versions. Adobe Digital Editions parses crafted XML files in an unsafe manner, which could lead to sensitive information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2021
Adobe Digital Editions versions 4.5.6 and earlier contain a critical vulnerability in their XML parsing implementation that creates a pathway for unauthorized information disclosure. This flaw resides in the application's handling of malformed or specially crafted XML content, where the software fails to properly validate and sanitize input before processing. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that allow maliciously constructed XML documents to trigger unintended behavior within the application's parsing engine.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when Adobe Digital Editions encounters specially crafted XML files that contain elements designed to manipulate the parsing process. These crafted inputs can cause the application to reveal sensitive information that would normally remain protected, potentially including system paths, user data, or other confidential elements stored within the application's memory space. The unsafe parsing behavior creates a vector for information leakage that could be leveraged by attackers to gain insights into the underlying system configuration or user environment.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to users who may unknowingly open maliciously crafted documents within the Adobe Digital Editions environment. The disclosure of sensitive information could enable attackers to craft more sophisticated attacks targeting specific users or systems. The impact extends beyond simple information leakage as the vulnerability may also provide a foothold for additional exploitation techniques, particularly when combined with other vulnerabilities present in the application ecosystem. Security researchers have classified this issue as a medium to high severity threat due to its potential for data exposure and the relative ease with which crafted XML files can be distributed.
The vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and CWE-22, addressing path traversal issues that can occur during file processing. This weakness is also consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059, where adversaries use application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code or extract information. Organizations using Adobe Digital Editions should prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by Adobe, as the vulnerability represents a clear risk to user privacy and system security. Additionally, implementing network-based controls to monitor and restrict XML file handling within the application environment can provide additional defense-in-depth measures.
The root cause of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture, where input validation occurs too late in the processing pipeline or not at all for certain XML parsing operations. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in digital rights management applications like Adobe Digital Editions, where users trust the software with sensitive content and personal information. The potential for exploitation increases when considering that XML files are commonly used for document exchange and could be embedded in various legitimate document formats, making detection and prevention more challenging for end users.
Security practitioners should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions that track XML processing activities within Adobe Digital Editions installations and establish clear policies regarding the handling of external documents. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments for document processing applications and the need for robust input sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should consider alternative document viewing solutions that have demonstrated stronger security track records, particularly for environments where sensitive information is handled. Regular updates and patch management procedures should include verification of Adobe Digital Editions installations to ensure that all known vulnerabilities have been addressed through official security releases.