CVE-2017-3025 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 memory corruption vulnerability related to internal object representation manipulation. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2022
Adobe Acrobat Reader contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability in its handling of internal object representations 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 object state transitions during document processing, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate internal memory structures through crafted malicious PDF files. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes certain object types that undergo state changes, allowing for controlled memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the targeted user. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, as attackers can manipulate object boundaries and memory layout to achieve unauthorized code execution. The attack vector typically involves social engineering techniques where users open maliciously crafted PDF documents, making this a significant risk for enterprise environments where users frequently encounter untrusted documents. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is further amplified by the widespread use of Adobe Acrobat Reader across different operating systems, including windows, macos, and linux platforms. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007, command and scripting interpreter, and T1203, exploit public-facing application, as attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access through malicious document delivery. The memory corruption occurs during the parsing of PDF objects that undergo complex state transitions, where the application fails to properly validate the boundaries of object representations before allowing memory operations to proceed. This creates a scenario where attackers can manipulate object metadata to cause buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions that result in code execution. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as the vulnerability allows for complete system compromise when users open malicious documents, particularly in enterprise environments where document sharing is common. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions, implement strict document filtering policies, and deploy network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding suspicious document attachments and verifying document sources before opening potentially malicious files. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in document processing applications and highlights the need for robust input validation mechanisms to prevent object state manipulation attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for document processing and monitoring for unusual memory access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability represents a classic example of how complex document parsing logic can create exploitable conditions when proper bounds checking and state validation are not adequately implemented.