CVE-2017-2940 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 15.020.20042 and earlier, 15.006.30244 and earlier, 11.0.18 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerability when processing JPEG 2000 files. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2022
Adobe Acrobat Reader contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability in its handling of JPEG 2000 image files that affects multiple version ranges including 15.020.20042 and earlier, 15.006.30244 and earlier, and 11.0.18 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking and memory management during the parsing of JPEG 2000 file structures, creating a condition where malformed input can trigger heap-based buffer overflows or other memory corruption scenarios. The flaw exists within the image processing pipeline where the application fails to properly validate the size parameters and structural elements of JPEG 2000 files before attempting to allocate memory for decompression operations. When an attacker crafts a malicious JPEG 2000 file with oversized or malformed segments, the reader's parsing logic can overflow allocated buffers, potentially allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious data. This memory corruption vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, as the application does not adequately validate input boundaries before memory allocation. The exploitability of this vulnerability is significantly enhanced by the fact that JPEG 2000 files can be embedded within PDF documents, making it possible for attackers to deliver malicious payloads through seemingly benign document attachments. The execution of arbitrary code through this vulnerability provides attackers with a complete compromise of the victim's system, as the Adobe Acrobat Reader process typically runs with the privileges of the user who opened the document. This presents a severe operational impact since users commonly open PDF documents from email attachments, web downloads, or shared network locations without sufficient sandboxing or privilege separation. The vulnerability aligns with attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation. The memory corruption occurs during the decompression phase of JPEG 2000 processing, where the application's JPEG 2000 decoder lacks proper input sanitization and validation routines. The affected versions represent a broad range of Adobe Acrobat Reader releases, indicating this is a widespread issue that has persisted across multiple update cycles. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability can be triggered through both direct file opening and indirect exploitation via embedded content within PDF documents. The exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or social engineering attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling JPEG 2000 support within Acrobat Reader, applying the latest security patches from Adobe, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious file content. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in image format parsing within document readers and highlights the importance of robust input validation in multimedia processing components. Regular security assessments should include verification of third-party plugin and codec support to prevent similar issues in other software components that handle complex file formats.