CVE-2018-12769 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2018.011.20063 and earlier, 2017.011.30102 and earlier, and 2015.006.30452 and earlier have an use after free vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12769 represents a critical use after free flaw affecting Adobe Acrobat and Reader software across multiple version lines including 2018.011.20063 and earlier, 2017.011.30102 and earlier, and 2015.006.30452 and earlier. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory, making it a serious security concern that can be exploited by malicious actors. The flaw exists within the software's memory management mechanisms where a pointer continues to reference memory that has already been deallocated, creating a dangerous state that can be manipulated by attackers.
The technical exploitation of this use after free vulnerability occurs when an attacker can control the memory layout of the application and manipulate freed memory blocks to achieve arbitrary code execution. This typically involves crafting malicious PDF files that trigger the vulnerable code path during document parsing or rendering operations. When the application processes these crafted documents, it frees memory associated with certain objects but continues to reference those freed memory locations, allowing an attacker to overwrite the freed memory with malicious data and subsequently execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the victim user. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it can be triggered through simple document opening operations, making it highly exploitable in phishing campaigns and targeted attacks.
The operational implications of CVE-2018-12769 extend far beyond individual system compromise, as it represents a significant threat vector for enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is commonly deployed for document viewing and processing. Organizations that have not patched affected versions face potential full system compromise, data exfiltration, and lateral movement capabilities for attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability. The attack surface is broad since PDF documents are frequently shared via email, web downloads, and file transfers, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users regularly open external documents. Security teams must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat landscape, particularly in relation to attack techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques such as initial access through malicious files and privilege escalation through code execution.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-12769 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Adobe, which address the underlying memory management issues causing the use after free condition. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all affected versions are updated promptly, as Adobe has released security updates specifically addressing this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include implementing PDF content filtering, restricting user privileges when opening documents, and deploying sandboxing technologies to contain potential exploitation attempts. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls and email filtering solutions can help prevent the delivery of malicious PDF files to end users, while endpoint detection and response systems should monitor for suspicious memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing layered security controls to protect against sophisticated attacks targeting document processing applications.