CVE-2017-16397 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 Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF) processing within the image conversion module. 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
This vulnerability exists in Adobe Acrobat and Reader software versions prior to specific patches, representing a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs during Enhanced Metafile Format processing. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to read data beyond the bounds of a target buffer, specifically within the image conversion module that handles EMF files. The underlying issue stems from improper pointer arithmetic calculations that result in invalid memory access patterns, where the software computes an offset that extends beyond the legitimate boundaries of the allocated memory region. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to information disclosure and potential system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the processing of EMF files through the image conversion module, where the application fails to properly validate the bounds of memory operations before accessing internal data structures. When an attacker crafts a malicious EMF file with malformed data structures, the application's buffer management logic becomes compromised, leading to the dereferencing of invalid memory addresses. This improper memory access pattern can result in sensitive data exposure, as the application may inadvertently reveal contents from adjacent memory regions that contain confidential information such as passwords, session tokens, or other protected data. The vulnerability's exploitation requires the user to open a specially crafted EMF file, making it a client-side attack vector that leverages social engineering techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can potentially enable attackers to gain access to sensitive system information that might be used for further exploitation. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract confidential data from the application's memory space, potentially including user credentials, system configuration details, or other proprietary information. The vulnerability's presence across multiple product versions indicates a systemic issue within Adobe's image processing libraries, suggesting that similar patterns may exist in other components of the software ecosystem. Organizations using affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where users might encounter malicious documents through email attachments, web downloads, or other attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch application from Adobe, as the vendor has released security updates to address the buffer overflow condition in the EMF processing module. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected versions are updated promptly, with particular attention to the specific version numbers mentioned in the vulnerability description. Additional protective measures include implementing email filtering solutions that can detect and quarantine suspicious EMF files, disabling automatic opening of attachments in email clients, and educating users about the risks of opening untrusted documents. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1059 technique of command and script interpreter, as attackers may use the information disclosure to gain intelligence for subsequent attacks. Organizations should also consider network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify malicious EMF file patterns and implement least privilege access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation.