CVE-2017-16369 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. This vulnerability is an instance of a Same Origin Policy security bypass vulnerability, affecting files on the local system, etc.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical Same Origin Policy bypass in Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications that affects multiple version ranges including 2017.012.20098 and earlier, 2017.011.30066 and earlier, 2015.006.30355 and earlier, and 11.0.22 and earlier versions. The Same Origin Policy is a fundamental security mechanism in web browsers and document readers that restricts how documents from one origin can interact with resources from another origin. When this policy is bypassed, it creates dangerous opportunities for malicious actors to access local system resources and files that should normally be protected from cross-origin access attempts. This vulnerability specifically targets the document processing components of Adobe Acrobat and Reader, which are widely used for viewing and interacting with pdf documents across enterprise and consumer environments.
The technical flaw manifests in how the affected Adobe applications handle document parsing and resource access when processing maliciously crafted pdf files. The vulnerability allows an attacker to construct pdf documents that can bypass the same origin restrictions typically enforced by the application's security model. This enables unauthorized access to local files, system resources, and potentially sensitive data stored on the victim's machine. The exploitation occurs during the normal document processing flow when the application attempts to load and render embedded content, particularly when dealing with local file references or cross-origin resource requests. The bypass mechanism leverages weaknesses in the application's security boundaries, allowing malicious content to access resources that should be restricted based on origin policies. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-16 category for Security Configuration, specifically related to improper access control mechanisms that fail to properly enforce security policies.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates opportunities for privilege escalation and lateral movement within compromised environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive files, system information, and potentially execute additional malicious payloads on the victim's machine. The widespread adoption of Adobe Acrobat and Reader across organizations makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it can affect numerous endpoints without requiring specialized targeting. The vulnerability affects both enterprise and consumer users, creating a broad attack surface that could be exploited in phishing campaigns, supply chain attacks, or targeted intrusion attempts. Organizations with strict security policies may find their defenses compromised if employees open malicious pdf documents, as the vulnerability operates at the application level rather than requiring browser-based exploitation.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions to address the Same Origin Policy bypass vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict document handling policies that prevent opening pdf files from untrusted sources or locations. Network-level controls such as web proxies, content filtering systems, and email security gateways should be configured to scan and block potentially malicious pdf documents before they reach end users. Security awareness training should emphasize the dangers of opening unexpected or unsolicited pdf attachments, particularly those received via email or downloaded from untrusted websites. System administrators should monitor for unusual file access patterns or attempts to read local system resources that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1078.004 for "Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts" suggests that exploitation could lead to additional attack vectors if attackers can establish persistence or access cloud-based resources through compromised systems. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for unpatched Adobe applications to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.