CVE-2017-3040 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 in the JBIG2 image compression module. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3040 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Adobe Acrobat Reader's JBIG2 image compression 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 product releases. The JBIG2 compression standard is commonly used for compressing bilevel images such as scanned documents, and its implementation in Acrobat Reader has become a vector for sophisticated exploitation techniques.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the JBIG2 decompression routine, which allows attackers to manipulate memory structures through crafted malicious PDF files. When a user opens a specially crafted PDF containing malformed JBIG2 compressed data, the vulnerability can be triggered during the decompression process. This memory corruption occurs due to insufficient bounds checking and input validation within the decompression algorithm, creating opportunities for heap-based buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions. The flaw falls under CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, which are common categories for such memory safety issues. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is significant as it can be achieved through social engineering techniques where users unknowingly open malicious PDF documents, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as successful exploitation can provide attackers with complete control over the victim's system. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Acrobat Reader, potentially leading to full system compromise. The attack surface is broad since PDF files are commonly shared through email attachments, web downloads, and document repositories, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as attackers can use the initial code execution to gain higher privileges. The vulnerability also aligns with T1566 for social engineering techniques, as it relies on users opening malicious documents to achieve exploitation.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat Reader installations to mitigate this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader where the memory corruption issues in the JBIG2 decompression module have been addressed. Additionally, implementing email filtering solutions that scan for PDF attachments containing suspicious JBIG2 content can provide an additional layer of defense. Network-based intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for potential exploitation attempts related to this vulnerability. Security awareness training for users to recognize suspicious PDF files and avoid opening attachments from unknown sources remains crucial. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in software development, particularly for widely used applications that process complex file formats. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted PDF files and regularly audit their document processing environments to ensure compliance with security best practices.