CVE-2017-16370 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 occurs because of a computation that reads data that is past the end of the target buffer; the computation is a part of the JavaScript engine. The use of an invalid (out-of-range) pointer offset during access of internal data structure fields causes the vulnerability. A successful attack can lead to sensitive data exposure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16370 represents a critical buffer over-read flaw within 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. This issue resides within the JavaScript engine component of these applications, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through maliciously crafted PDF documents containing JavaScript code. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during memory access operations, specifically when the application attempts to read data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to information disclosure and potential system compromise. The root cause involves a computation that calculates an invalid pointer offset, causing the application to access memory locations that are not part of the intended data structure, thereby exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions. This vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript execution and T1068 for exploit development, as it enables attackers to craft malicious documents that exploit the JavaScript engine to gain unauthorized access to system memory. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can provide attackers with access to sensitive memory contents that may include encryption keys, user credentials, or other confidential information stored in the application's memory space. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting PDF files that contain malicious JavaScript code designed to trigger the buffer over-read condition, potentially leading to full system compromise or data exfiltration. The threat landscape surrounding this vulnerability is particularly concerning given that Adobe Acrobat and Reader are widely deployed across enterprise environments, making the potential attack surface extensive. Organizations using affected versions of these applications face significant risk of exploitation through social engineering campaigns that distribute malicious PDF documents, which can be delivered via email, web downloads, or other attack vectors. The vulnerability's presence in the JavaScript engine means that even documents that do not contain explicit malicious code can trigger the exploit if they contain crafted JavaScript elements that cause the engine to perform invalid memory access operations. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly stealthy and difficult to detect through traditional security measures. The memory access violation creates a pathway for attackers to extract information from adjacent memory locations, potentially revealing sensitive data that could be used for further attacks or system compromise. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack chain that could lead to privilege escalation, lateral movement, or complete system takeover depending on the environment and the specific information accessed through the buffer over-read condition. Remediation efforts must include immediate patching of all affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations, along with network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through malicious PDF document delivery. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and implementing robust application sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of similar flaws in the future. Organizations should implement strict document handling policies and consider deploying additional security controls such as PDF content filtering and sandboxing solutions to protect against exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.