CVE-2017-16381 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 access with an incorrect length value when processing TIFF files embedded within an XPS document. Crafted TIFF image input causes a mismatch between allocated buffer size and the access allowed by the computation. If an attacker can adequately control the accessible memory then this vulnerability can be leveraged to achieve arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2021
This vulnerability exists in Adobe Acrobat and Reader software versions up to specific patch levels including 2017.012.20098, 2017.011.30066, 2015.006.30355, and 11.0.22. The flaw manifests when processing TIFF files embedded within XPS documents, creating a critical buffer overflow condition that can be exploited for remote code execution. The technical root cause stems from improper validation of buffer sizes during image processing operations, specifically when handling TIFF file metadata and image data structures within the XPS document context. This issue represents a classic buffer over-read vulnerability where the application allocates memory based on incorrect length calculations derived from malformed TIFF image data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable software. The exploitation requires crafting a malicious XPS document containing specially constructed TIFF images that trigger the buffer overflow condition. When the vulnerable application processes such a document, the incorrect buffer length calculation causes memory corruption that can be manipulated to redirect program execution flow. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and also relates to CWE-125, describing out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to information disclosure and code execution. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be delivered through email attachments or web downloads, making it suitable for phishing campaigns and social engineering attacks.
From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, and T1203 for exploit public-facing application. The vulnerability exploitation typically involves creating a malicious XPS document with embedded TIFF images that contain crafted data structures designed to trigger the buffer overflow when processed by the vulnerable software. The memory corruption pattern suggests that attackers could potentially leverage this issue for remote code execution in the context of the user running the application, which could lead to full system compromise. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in document processing libraries, as it affects widely used Adobe software products that handle complex document formats. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions, along with network-based protections such as email filtering and web application firewalls to prevent delivery of malicious XPS documents containing the vulnerable TIFF content.