CVE-2017-16404 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 computation that writes data past the end of the intended buffer; the computation is part of processing Enhanced Metafile Format Plus (EMF+). The vulnerability is a result of an out of range pointer offset that is used to access sub-elements of an internal data structure. An attacker can potentially leverage the vulnerability to corrupt sensitive data or execute arbitrary code.
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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 critical buffer overflow condition that can be exploited through maliciously crafted Enhanced Metafile Format Plus (EMF+) files. The flaw occurs during the processing of EMF+ graphics data structures where an out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability manifests when handling pointer arithmetic operations. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during the parsing of EMF+ records, specifically when calculating offsets to access internal data structures. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of buffer overflow conditions, where memory is accessed beyond allocated boundaries, creating potential for arbitrary code execution or data corruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of EMF+ file parsing logic where a computation produces an incorrect pointer offset that subsequently accesses memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. When an application processes an EMF+ file containing maliciously crafted data, the buffer overflow condition can be triggered during the rendering or parsing phase of the graphics processing pipeline. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing mechanisms where users might inadvertently open malicious documents. The out-of-range pointer access creates an opportunity for attackers to manipulate memory contents and potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application.
From an operational security perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Adobe Acrobat and Reader are widely deployed for document processing and viewing. The exploitability of this vulnerability means that a single malicious document could compromise entire systems without requiring user interaction beyond opening the file. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute code in the context of the current user, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version ranges indicates a long-standing issue that was not properly addressed in the software lifecycle, highlighting gaps in security testing and quality assurance processes. Organizations utilizing these applications face substantial risk exposure, particularly in environments where users have elevated privileges or where the software is used to process untrusted documents from external sources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of patches provided by Adobe to address the buffer overflow condition in EMF+ processing. System administrators should implement strict file validation policies that scan for potentially malicious EMF+ content before processing documents, while also considering the implementation of application whitelisting solutions to prevent execution of untrusted files. Network-based security controls such as intrusion prevention systems should be configured to detect and block suspicious EMF+ file patterns, and users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted documents. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers may use the exploitation to establish persistent access through code execution. Organizations should also implement regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar issues in other software components, ensuring comprehensive security coverage across their digital infrastructure.