CVE-2017-3011 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 11.0.19 and earlier, 15.006.30280 and earlier, 15.023.20070 and earlier have an exploitable integer overflow vulnerability in the CCITT fax PDF filter. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3011 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within Adobe Acrobat Reader's CCITT fax PDF filter implementation. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software including 11.0.19 and earlier, 15.006.30280 and earlier, and 15.023.20070 and earlier, making it a widespread concern across various Adobe Reader installations. The flaw specifically resides in the handling of CCITT fax data within PDF documents, which is a standard compression method used for fax transmission in document formats. The integer overflow occurs when processing malformed CCITT fax data, creating a condition where an attacker can manipulate the data processing flow to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
This vulnerability operates at the intersection of software security and document processing, where the PDF filter's insufficient input validation leads to memory corruption. The CCITT fax filter is designed to handle fax data compression according to international standards, but the implementation fails to properly validate integer values during data processing. When an attacker crafts a malicious PDF document containing specially constructed CCITT fax data, the overflow condition can be triggered during the parsing phase. The technical nature of this flaw aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow conditions, and specifically relates to CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, as the overflow typically manifests in heap memory regions. The vulnerability's classification as an exploitable integer overflow means that successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise, as the overflow allows attackers to manipulate program execution flow and inject malicious code.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3011 extends beyond simple document processing, as it represents a significant attack vector for privilege escalation and persistent system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through social engineering campaigns targeting users who regularly open PDF documents, particularly in enterprise environments where Acrobat Reader is widely deployed. The exploitability of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through software vulnerabilities, and T1203, which encompasses exploitation of remote services. Once successfully exploited, the attacker gains the ability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Acrobat Reader process, which typically runs with user-level privileges but can potentially escalate to system-level access depending on the target environment configuration. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version lines makes it particularly dangerous as organizations may have varying deployment scenarios, from legacy systems running older versions to newer installations that have not yet been patched.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-3011 require immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat Reader installations to address the integer overflow condition in the CCITT fax filter. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems are updated with the latest security patches provided by Adobe. Additionally, security administrators should consider implementing PDF document scanning and filtering mechanisms that can detect and block potentially malicious CCITT fax data before it reaches the vulnerable software. Network-based security controls such as intrusion prevention systems and web application firewalls should be configured to monitor for PDF-related anomalies that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw makes it particularly important to maintain network segmentation and implement least privilege access controls for PDF processing environments. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments to identify unpatched systems and ensure that all users are running patched versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader to prevent exploitation through malicious PDF documents.