CVE-2017-3022 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 a memory address leak vulnerability when parsing the header of a JPEG 2000 file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/29/2020
Adobe Acrobat Reader contains a memory address leak vulnerability in its handling of JPEG 2000 file headers that affects multiple version ranges including 11.0.19 and earlier, 15.006.30280 and earlier, and 15.023.20070 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of JPEG 2000 file structures during the parsing process, specifically when processing the header information of these image files. The flaw manifests as a memory address leak that occurs when the application attempts to parse malformed or specially crafted JPEG 2000 headers, potentially exposing sensitive memory addresses to attackers. This vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption issues and aligns with CWE-125 which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, though specifically in the context of memory address exposure rather than direct code execution. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as memory address leaks can provide attackers with critical information needed for more sophisticated exploitation techniques, including bypassing modern exploit mitigations such as address space layout randomization. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of insufficient input validation in multimedia file parsing components, where the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the structure of external image files before processing them. Attackers could leverage this memory leak to gain insights into the application's memory layout, potentially enabling them to craft more effective attacks against the target system. The flaw represents a significant concern in the context of targeted attacks where adversaries may use such information to bypass security controls and execute arbitrary code. Organizations using Adobe Acrobat Reader should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions to mitigate the risk of exploitation, as this vulnerability could be exploited in conjunction with other memory corruption flaws to achieve complete system compromise. The issue highlights the importance of robust input validation in multimedia processing components and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for application execution through file format parsing vulnerabilities. This vulnerability type is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Acrobat Reader is commonly used for document review and processing, as it could be exploited through social engineering campaigns targeting document attachments. The memory address leak could potentially be combined with other exploits to defeat modern security mechanisms such as stack canaries and non-executable memory protections, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for threat actors seeking persistent access to compromised systems. Security professionals should monitor for indicators of exploitation attempts involving JPEG 2000 file attachments and implement network-based detection measures to identify potential attack traffic. The vulnerability underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of multimedia processing libraries and the importance of keeping software components updated to address known memory corruption issues. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting and sandboxing to reduce the potential impact of exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.