CVE-2017-16363 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Adobe Acrobat and Reader: 2017.012.20098 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30066 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30355 and earlier versions, and 11.0.22 and earlier versions. The vulnerability is caused by a buffer over-read in the module that handles character codes for certain textual representations. Invalid input leads to a computation where the pointer arithmetic results in a location outside valid memory locations belonging to the buffer. An attack can be used to obtain sensitive information, such as object heap addresses, etc.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2021
This vulnerability exists in multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software, specifically affecting versions up to 2017.012.20098, 2017.011.30066, 2015.006.30355, and 11.0.22. The flaw resides in the module responsible for handling character codes within textual representations, making it a critical security concern for users of these applications. The vulnerability manifests as a buffer over-read condition that occurs during pointer arithmetic operations when processing invalid input data. This particular issue falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities in software systems. The buffer over-read vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in memory management where the application attempts to access memory locations beyond the boundaries of allocated buffers.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves processing malformed character code sequences that trigger improper pointer arithmetic calculations. When the software encounters invalid input data during text rendering operations, the computation results in a pointer that references memory locations outside the legitimate buffer boundaries. This memory access pattern allows attackers to potentially read sensitive data from adjacent memory regions, including heap addresses and other critical information that may be stored in the application's memory space. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through carefully crafted PDF documents that contain malformed character sequences, making it a remote code execution risk when combined with other exploitation techniques.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Adobe Acrobat and Reader for document processing and viewing. Attackers can leverage this flaw to extract heap addresses and other sensitive memory information that could be used in more sophisticated exploitation attempts, including information disclosure attacks and potential privilege escalation scenarios. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data leakage, as heap addresses can provide attackers with insights into memory layout structures that are essential for advanced exploitation techniques. This type of information disclosure vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing malicious code through various application interfaces, and T1068, which focuses on exploiting vulnerabilities in software applications. Organizations using affected versions of Adobe software face potential exposure to attackers who could use this information to craft more targeted attacks against their systems.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate patching of all affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to the latest available versions that contain fixes for this buffer over-read vulnerability. Adobe has released security updates addressing this issue, and users should consult the official Adobe security bulletins for specific version information and patch availability. Additionally, organizations should implement network-based security controls such as PDF content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to prevent potentially malicious PDF files from reaching end users. System administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted PDF files and regularly monitor for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in preventing buffer over-read conditions that can lead to information disclosure and potential system compromise.