CVE-2017-2980 in Digital Editions
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Digital Editions versions 4.5.3 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
Adobe Digital Editions version 4.5.3 and earlier contains a memory corruption vulnerability that presents a significant security risk to users and organizations. This flaw exists within the application's handling of specially crafted input files, particularly those involving digital book formats and associated metadata processing. The vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking and memory management practices within the software's parsing routines. According to CWE-121, this represents a classic stack-based buffer overflow condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution. The flaw is particularly concerning as it allows remote attackers to craft malicious digital publications that, when opened by an affected version of Adobe Digital Editions, can trigger the memory corruption.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the application processes malformed or specially constructed ebook files containing malicious payload data. The memory corruption manifests through improper handling of input validation during the parsing of digital content, specifically affecting the application's memory allocation and deallocation mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Adobe Digital Editions, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability operates at the application level rather than the operating system level, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass many traditional security controls and defenses. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where the initial compromise allows for subsequent malicious command execution within the user's environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2980 extends beyond individual user systems to affect organizations that deploy Adobe Digital Editions for digital content management. Educational institutions, libraries, and corporate environments that rely on this software for managing digital publications face significant risk exposure. The vulnerability's exploitability requires minimal user interaction, typically involving the simple act of opening a maliciously crafted ebook file. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where users may unknowingly download or receive compromised content. Organizations may experience data breaches, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their networks if attackers successfully leverage this vulnerability. The memory corruption issue creates an unstable execution environment that can result in application crashes, data loss, or more severe security incidents. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability affects a widely used digital publishing platform, making it a high-priority target for exploitation campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2980 focus on immediate remediation through software updates and implementation of additional security controls. Organizations should prioritize updating to Adobe Digital Editions version 4.5.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory corruption vulnerability. System administrators should also implement network-based controls such as content filtering and sandboxing to prevent users from accessing potentially malicious digital content. The implementation of principle of least privilege ensures that Adobe Digital Editions runs with minimal required permissions, reducing potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures include regular security assessments of digital content repositories, user education about the risks of opening unknown ebook files, and monitoring for suspicious application behavior. Security teams should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous behavior associated with memory corruption exploits. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing comprehensive security hygiene practices for all digital content management systems.