CVE-2017-16376 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 as a result of a computation that reads data that is past the end of the target buffer; the computation is a part of the MakeAccessible plugin. 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-2017-16376 represents a critical buffer overread flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software. This issue manifests within the MakeAccessible plugin component, which is responsible for converting PDF documents into accessible formats for users with disabilities. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during memory access operations, specifically when processing internal data structures that are part of the accessibility conversion process. The affected versions include various releases from the 2017, 2015, and 11.0.x series, indicating this flaw has persisted across multiple software generations and represents a significant security concern for organizations relying on Adobe's PDF processing capabilities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where programs access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The flaw occurs when the MakeAccessible plugin performs computations that result in pointer offsets referencing memory locations outside the valid buffer range. This improper memory access pattern creates a scenario where the application attempts to read data from locations that may contain sensitive information from adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the context of PDF document processing, where user input directly influences the memory access patterns and can be manipulated to trigger the out-of-bounds read condition.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations that process PDF documents containing sensitive data. The successful exploitation of this flaw could result in unauthorized disclosure of confidential information stored in memory, potentially including user credentials, personal data, or proprietary business information. Attackers could craft malicious PDF files designed to trigger the buffer overread condition when opened with vulnerable Adobe Reader versions, leading to information disclosure without requiring additional privileges or system access. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software versions means that organizations with legacy systems or delayed patch management processes face heightened exposure risks, as the flaw exists across multiple product lines and release cycles.
Security mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16376 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Adobe to address the buffer overread condition. Organizations should prioritize patching all affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations, particularly those running versions prior to the fixed releases. Network-based defenses can include implementing PDF content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to reduce the attack surface when processing untrusted documents. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous PDF processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter suggests that attackers may leverage this flaw as part of broader attack chains, potentially combining it with other techniques to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within compromised systems. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar memory corruption vulnerabilities across their software ecosystem.