CVE-2018-12803 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 • 08/11/2024
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2018.011.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30080 and earlier, and 2015.006.30418 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the PDF parsing functionality where the software fails to properly validate array indices when processing maliciously crafted PDF documents. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated bounds of an array structure, potentially exposing sensitive data from adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category which encompasses issues related to improper validation of array indices and other bounds checking failures.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires a user to open a specially crafted malicious PDF file, making it a typical client-side attack vector that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1204.002 for legitimate user execution. When a victim opens the malicious document, the vulnerable code path triggers an out-of-bounds read operation that can result in information disclosure, potentially exposing sensitive memory contents including encryption keys, user credentials, or other confidential data. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning as it can be leveraged by threat actors to extract valuable information from the victim's system without requiring elevated privileges or direct system access. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability also raises potential for more severe consequences including application crashes or arbitrary code execution, though the primary documented impact focuses on information disclosure.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to mitigate this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader where the out-of-bounds read issue has been addressed through proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. System administrators should implement strict document handling policies that restrict the opening of untrusted PDF files, particularly those received through email attachments or downloaded from unknown sources. Additionally, deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and block suspicious PDF file transfers may provide an additional layer of defense. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in software applications and highlights the need for regular security updates to protect against known exploitation techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for PDF processing to isolate potentially malicious documents from the main system environment, thereby limiting the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.