CVE-2017-11276 in Digital Editions
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Digital Editions 4.5.4 and earlier has an exploitable memory corruption vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2021
Adobe Digital Editions version 4.5.4 and earlier contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability that presents a significant security risk to users of the software. This vulnerability falls under the category of heap-based buffer overflow conditions as identified by the Common Weakness Enumeration standard CWE-122, where insufficient validation of input data leads to memory corruption during processing. The flaw occurs when the application handles certain malformed input files or data structures, particularly within the document parsing or rendering components that process digital content. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting maliciously formatted documents or content that, when opened by the vulnerable Adobe Digital Editions software, triggers the memory corruption behavior. The technical implementation involves improper bounds checking during memory allocation and data handling operations, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with controlled data. This type of vulnerability aligns with the attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique T1203, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a potential pathway for complete system compromise. When successful, the memory corruption allows for arbitrary code execution within the context of the Adobe Digital Editions process, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges, install malware, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability affects users who open or process documents through the Adobe Digital Editions application, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter untrusted digital content. The exploitability of this vulnerability is heightened by the widespread use of Adobe Digital Editions in libraries, educational institutions, and corporate environments where users frequently access digital publications. Security researchers have noted that the vulnerability can be triggered through simple document manipulation, requiring minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, which significantly increases the attack surface.
Organizations and individual users should immediately implement mitigations to protect against exploitation of this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves updating to Adobe Digital Editions version 4.5.5 or later, which includes patches addressing the memory corruption issue through improved input validation and memory management controls. System administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of unauthorized Adobe Digital Editions versions, while network security teams can deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should exercise caution when opening digital documents from untrusted sources, particularly those received via email attachments or downloaded from unknown websites. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing layered security approaches that combine automated patch management with user education and security awareness programs. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques or virtualization strategies to isolate Adobe Digital Editions execution environments, thereby limiting the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.