CVE-2017-16385 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 in TIFF parsing during XPS conversion. 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 across multiple versions including 2017.012.20098 and earlier, 2017.011.30066 and earlier, 2015.006.30355 and earlier, and 11.0.22 and earlier. The issue stems from improper buffer handling during TIFF image processing when converting documents to XPS format. The flaw manifests as a buffer access error where the allocated memory buffer size does not match the actual data access computation during TIFF parsing operations. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of buffer overflow conditions that can be exploited through improper length calculations in memory management operations. The vulnerability represents a classic case of incorrect bounds checking where the software fails to validate the relationship between allocated buffer space and the actual data that will be written to that buffer.
The technical execution of this vulnerability occurs when a maliciously crafted TIFF image is processed by the affected Adobe software during XPS conversion operations. The TIFF parser incorrectly calculates the buffer size needed for data storage, leading to a situation where the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries. This mismatch between allocated buffer size and actual access requirements creates a condition where memory corruption can occur, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through document processing, making it a common attack vector in phishing campaigns or malicious document delivery scenarios.
When successfully exploited, this vulnerability can lead to arbitrary code execution within the context of the affected application. The buffer overflow condition allows attackers to potentially overwrite critical memory structures, function pointers, or return addresses, enabling them to redirect program execution flow. Attackers who can control the accessible memory contents may be able to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application. This represents a significant security risk as it could allow attackers to gain complete control over the victim's system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, or further lateral movement within a network. The vulnerability aligns with attack patterns described in the attack tree framework where buffer overflows are categorized as common entry points for privilege escalation and code execution attacks.
Organizations should immediately update to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader that contain patches addressing this vulnerability. The fix typically involves implementing proper bounds checking in the TIFF parsing routines and ensuring that buffer allocation matches the actual data processing requirements. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts involving malformed TIFF files. Additionally, user education about avoiding suspicious document attachments and implementing least privilege principles for Adobe software usage can help reduce the attack surface. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as an insufficient buffer size, which is a well-known weakness in software security practices. The mitigation strategy should include regular patch management, application whitelisting where possible, and implementing sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts.