CVE-2017-2962 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 type confusion vulnerability in the XSLT engine related to localization functionality. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2962 represents a critical type confusion flaw within Adobe Acrobat Reader's XSLT engine, specifically impacting versions up to and including 15.020.20042, 15.006.30244, and 11.0.18. This vulnerability resides in the localization functionality of the software, where improper handling of data types during XSLT processing creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures. The type confusion occurs when the application fails to properly validate or cast data types during transformation operations, allowing malicious input to be interpreted as different data types than intended.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the XSLT engine's handling of localized content, where user-supplied data can influence the processing flow in unexpected ways. When Acrobat Reader processes documents containing specially crafted XSLT transformations with localization elements, the application's memory management becomes compromised due to incorrect type assumptions. This flaw falls under the CWE-471 category of "Incorrectly Handling of Data Types" and specifically relates to CWE-474 which addresses "Use of Function with Inconsistent Implementations." The vulnerability's exploitation path typically involves crafting a malicious PDF document that contains embedded XSLT code with localization parameters designed to trigger the type confusion during processing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation or denial of service scenarios, as successful exploitation can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running Acrobat Reader. This represents a significant risk in enterprise environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources, making the attack surface particularly broad. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious payloads directly on target systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within networks. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1203 for "Exploitation for Client Execution" when combined with social engineering tactics to deliver malicious documents.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2962 primarily focus on immediate software updates and operational security measures. Adobe released patches for affected versions, and organizations should prioritize deployment of the latest Acrobat Reader updates to remediate this vulnerability. Additional protective measures include implementing strict PDF document filtering at network perimeters, disabling automatic execution of embedded content, and employing sandboxing technologies to contain potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and user access controls should be enhanced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to PDF-based attacks and maintain updated threat intelligence feeds to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. The implementation of content inspection tools capable of identifying malicious XSLT patterns within PDF documents provides an additional layer of defense against this specific class of attacks.