CVE-2017-3124 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat Reader 2017.009.20058 and earlier, 2017.008.30051 and earlier, 2015.006.30306 and earlier, and 11.0.20 and earlier has an exploitable memory corruption vulnerability in the picture exchange (PCX) file format parsing module. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2021
Adobe Acrobat Reader contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability in its PCX file format parsing component that affects multiple versions including 2017.009.20058 and earlier, 2017.008.30051 and earlier, 2015.006.3030306 and earlier, and 11.0.20 and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the picture exchange file format handling module where improper input validation and memory management lead to exploitable conditions. The flaw manifests when the application processes malformed PCX files, specifically through buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions that occur during image data parsing. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow and CWE-416 use after free conditions commonly found in multimedia processing libraries. The security implications are severe as successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the vulnerable application, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Attackers can craft malicious PCX files that trigger the vulnerable parsing code when opened by an unpatched Acrobat Reader, making this a prime target for social engineering campaigns and remote code execution attacks. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, as the malicious file execution occurs during normal user interaction with the document viewer. This weakness creates a persistent attack surface that can be leveraged across various operating systems where Adobe Reader is installed, including windows, macos, and linux platforms. The exploitation chain typically involves crafting a specially formatted PCX file that, when parsed by the vulnerable reader, causes memory corruption that can be controlled by an attacker to redirect program execution flow. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 legitimate program exploitation, where attackers leverage legitimate software to execute malicious code. The memory corruption occurs during the image decompression and rendering phase, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through simple document opening operations. Organizations should immediately implement patch management protocols to update to patched versions of Adobe Reader, as the vulnerability has been widely documented and exploited in the wild. Additionally, network segmentation and application whitelisting measures can provide defensive layers against potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management in multimedia processing applications, particularly those handling complex file formats with extensive parsing requirements. Security teams must also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms and user education programs to reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering vectors. This particular vulnerability highlights the ongoing challenges in securing document processing applications where legacy file format support creates extensive attack surfaces that can be exploited through seemingly benign file operations. The remediation process requires comprehensive patch deployment across all affected systems while maintaining vigilance for potential zero-day exploitation attempts that may precede official patches.