CVE-2018-12779 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader 2018.011.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30080 and earlier, and 2015.006.30418 and earlier versions have an Out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2024
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions prior to 2018.011.20040, 2017.011.30080, and 2015.006.30418 contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that represents a fundamental memory safety issue. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 category of out-of-bounds read conditions, where the software attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw occurs within the document parsing functionality when processing specially crafted pdf files that contain malformed data structures. When the application encounters such malformed input, it fails to properly validate array indices or buffer limits before accessing memory, leading to unauthorized data retrieval from adjacent memory regions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can potentially expose sensitive data from memory locations that should remain protected. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious pdf documents that trigger the out-of-bounds read condition when opened or processed by vulnerable applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the core parsing layer of document processing, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional sandboxing approaches. According to ATT&CK framework, this represents a privilege escalation technique through software exploitation, specifically targeting the application's memory management functions.
The exploitation of CVE-2018-12779 typically requires the victim to open a maliciously crafted pdf file, making this a classic social engineering attack vector that leverages user trust in document handling applications. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the widespread use of Adobe Reader across enterprise environments and individual users, creating a large attack surface. Organizations that rely on PDF document processing for business operations face significant risk, as the disclosure of memory contents could reveal sensitive information including encryption keys, user credentials, or internal application data. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping document processing software up to date, as it represents a fundamental security flaw that can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges or complex attack chains.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected versions, implementation of strict document validation policies, and deployment of network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious pdf file patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting controls to restrict execution of potentially malicious documents and establish comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability highlights the necessity of regular security assessments and the importance of maintaining updated security patches across all software components that handle untrusted input data.