CVE-2017-3032 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 in the JPEG 2000 code-stream parser.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3032 represents a critical memory address leak flaw within Adobe Acrobat Reader applications that affects multiple version ranges including 11.0.19 and earlier, 15.006.30280 and earlier, and 15.023.20070 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically resides within the JPEG 2000 code-stream parser component of the software, which processes image data in the JPEG 2000 format commonly used in PDF documents. The flaw manifests when the application encounters malformed or specially crafted JPEG 2000 image data within PDF files, potentially leading to unauthorized information disclosure through memory address exposure. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure weaknesses and aligns with CWE-200, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor. The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper memory management during the parsing process of JPEG 2000 streams, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize input data before processing.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3032 extends beyond simple information leakage, as memory address exposure can provide attackers with valuable insights into the application's memory layout and potentially enable more sophisticated exploitation techniques. When an attacker successfully triggers this vulnerability through a malicious PDF file containing crafted JPEG 2000 data, the memory addresses of the application's internal structures may be inadvertently leaked to the user or to external systems. This information can be particularly valuable for advanced persistent threat actors who may use the leaked addresses to bypass security mechanisms such as address space layout randomization or to construct more effective exploit payloads. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version ranges indicates a widespread exposure across the Acrobat Reader user base, making it a prime target for exploitation in targeted attacks. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers might leverage the leaked information to craft more precise and effective attack vectors against the affected systems.
Organizations and users affected by CVE-2017-3032 should prioritize immediate remediation through official Adobe security updates and patches. The vulnerability's nature as a memory address leak makes it particularly concerning for environments where PDF documents are frequently processed, such as corporate networks, government agencies, and financial institutions. Security administrators should implement network-based protections including PDF content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to mitigate potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of opening untrusted PDF documents, particularly those containing embedded JPEG 2000 images, remains crucial. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in multimedia processing components, as similar flaws in image parsing libraries have been documented in various security advisories. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely deployment of security updates across their infrastructure. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched versions to verify that the vulnerability has been properly addressed without introducing regressions in functionality, particularly in handling legitimate JPEG 2000 content within PDF documents.