CVE-2017-3089 in Digital Editions
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Digital Editions versions 4.5.4 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerability in the PDF imaging model. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2020
Adobe Digital Editions version 4.5.4 and earlier contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability within its PDF imaging model that presents a significant security risk to users. This vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption flaws that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The issue stems from improper handling of malformed PDF content during image processing, creating opportunities for attackers to craft malicious documents that trigger buffer overflows or other memory-related errors. When a user opens an exploit-ready PDF document, the application's failure to properly validate image data structures can lead to memory corruption that adversaries can leverage for code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. Attackers can manipulate the PDF imaging model by embedding specially crafted image data that causes the application to write beyond allocated memory boundaries. This memory corruption typically occurs during the parsing of image objects within PDF files, where Adobe Digital Editions fails to implement adequate bounds checking or input validation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the core imaging processing layer, meaning that even legitimate PDF documents containing malicious image components can trigger the exploit. The flaw represents a classic code execution vulnerability that can be exploited through social engineering or by distributing malicious PDF files through various attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for more extensive compromise of user systems. Once arbitrary code execution is achieved, adversaries can install malware, establish backdoors, or escalate privileges within the affected environment. The vulnerability affects users who rely on Adobe Digital Editions for reading digital books and documents, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise and educational settings where the software is widely deployed. The memory corruption can lead to application crashes, data loss, or complete system compromise depending on the execution context. Users may unknowingly trigger the vulnerability simply by opening a malicious document, making this a particularly insidious threat that requires immediate attention and remediation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates to versions that address the memory corruption issues within the PDF imaging model. Adobe has released patches for this vulnerability in later versions of Digital Editions, and users should prioritize upgrading to the latest available release. Organizations should implement network-based protections such as content filtering and sandboxing to prevent users from accessing potentially malicious PDF content. Additionally, security awareness training can help users recognize suspicious documents and avoid opening untrusted PDF files. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and proper memory management in document processing applications, with recommendations for implementing stricter bounds checking and memory safety mechanisms. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems, as the memory corruption typically manifests through specific patterns of memory access violations. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other document processing applications.