CVE-2018-12808 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2018.011.20055 and earlier, 2017.011.30096 and earlier, and 2015.006.30434 and earlier have an out-of-bounds write vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2023
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability that affects multiple versions across different release cycles. This vulnerability resides in the handling of specific file formats and memory management operations within the software's parsing mechanisms. The flaw manifests when the application processes malformed input data, particularly within document parsing routines that do not properly validate array bounds or memory allocation limits. The vulnerability has been categorized under CWE-787, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions that can result in memory corruption and potentially arbitrary code execution. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious documents that trigger the vulnerable code path during normal document processing operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires careful manipulation of input data to force the application into writing data beyond the allocated memory buffer. This type of memory corruption typically occurs when the software fails to properly validate input parameters or when it assumes certain data structures will maintain specific boundaries. The out-of-bounds write can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical program data, stack pointers, or return addresses. This memory corruption often leads to unpredictable application behavior and can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the targeted user. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it affects widely used document processing software, making it a prime target for adversaries seeking persistent access to target systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent footholds within compromised environments. When successful, the exploit can allow threat actors to install backdoors, escalate privileges, or exfiltrate sensitive data from affected systems. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader, indicating a widespread exposure across different release cycles, which complicates remediation efforts for organizations. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk of targeted attacks, especially in environments where users frequently open documents from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's exploitation often requires user interaction through opening malicious documents, making social engineering attacks more effective in combination with this technical weakness. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of broader attack surface management strategies.
Organizations should immediately implement patch management procedures to update to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader that contain fixes for this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of updated software to ensure compatibility with existing workflows and document processing requirements. Security teams should also deploy network monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual document processing patterns or network connections initiated by affected applications. Additional mitigations include implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict document processing to known good applications, enabling sandboxing mechanisms for document handling, and conducting regular security assessments of document processing environments. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of remote services, indicates that organizations should also consider this threat in their broader threat modeling exercises and incident response planning.