CVE-2017-11299 in Digital Editions
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Adobe Digital Editions 4.5.6 and earlier versions. An exploitable memory corruption vulnerability exists, which could lead to disclosure of memory addresses.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2021
Adobe Digital Editions versions 4.5.6 and earlier contain a memory corruption vulnerability that stems from inadequate input validation during processing of specially crafted documents. This flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition where maliciously constructed data can overwrite adjacent memory regions, potentially exposing sensitive memory addresses to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability occurs when the application processes malformed content without proper bounds checking, allowing an attacker to manipulate memory layout information through crafted input sequences. Such memory address disclosure can significantly aid in advanced exploitation techniques by providing attackers with crucial information about the application's memory structure and potential attack surface. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking permits data to overwrite adjacent stack variables. From an operational perspective, this issue creates a significant risk for users who may unknowingly open maliciously crafted documents, potentially leading to information disclosure that could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. The exposure of memory addresses can facilitate return-oriented programming attacks and other exploitation methods that rely on knowing the target application's memory layout. Organizations using Adobe Digital Editions should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where document processing is frequent or automated. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under initial access and privilege escalation techniques, as the memory disclosure can serve as a stepping stone for more comprehensive system compromise. Security teams should prioritize patching this vulnerability to prevent potential exploitation, as the memory address information could be combined with other techniques to achieve remote code execution. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper memory management in document processing applications, particularly those handling untrusted content from external sources.
Adobe Digital Editions remains vulnerable to exploitation due to insufficient memory bounds checking mechanisms that fail to properly validate input data before processing. The memory corruption occurs when the application does not adequately sanitize document content, allowing attackers to craft inputs that trigger buffer overflows in memory management routines. This particular weakness in the software's defensive architecture creates opportunities for adversaries to extract memory addresses from the application's heap and stack regions, providing critical information for subsequent exploitation phases. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as memory addresses can reveal application structure details that enable attackers to bypass security mitigations such as address space layout randomization. The flaw represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's defensive programming practices, where proper input validation and memory management controls are absent or insufficient. Security researchers have identified that this vulnerability can be exploited through carefully constructed document files that trigger the memory corruption during parsing operations. The disclosed memory addresses can be particularly valuable for attackers attempting to perform advanced exploitation techniques, as they provide insights into the target environment's memory organization and potential locations of useful code segments or data structures.
The operational implications of CVE-2017-11299 extend beyond immediate security concerns to encompass broader risks for organizations relying on Adobe Digital Editions for document management and reading. When exploited, this vulnerability can enable attackers to gather intelligence about the target system's memory layout, which can be combined with other exploitation techniques to achieve more severe outcomes including arbitrary code execution. The memory address information disclosure creates opportunities for attackers to craft more sophisticated attack vectors that leverage knowledge of the application's internal structure. Organizations using older versions of Adobe Digital Editions face increased risk exposure, particularly in environments where document processing is automated or where users have the ability to open external content. The vulnerability's potential for information disclosure makes it particularly dangerous in scenarios where sensitive documents are processed, as attackers could potentially extract memory addresses from documents containing confidential information. Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as part of a larger attack chain where memory disclosure serves as a precursor to more serious exploitation attempts. The flaw underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper input validation controls in document processing applications. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit potential exploitation opportunities, while also ensuring that Adobe Digital Editions is updated to versions that address this specific memory corruption vulnerability. The vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive security testing that includes memory safety analysis and input validation verification to prevent similar issues in other document processing applications.