CVE-2018-12812 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader 2018.011.20038 and earlier, 2017.011.30079 and earlier, and 2015.006.30417 and earlier versions have a Type Confusion vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2020
The Type Confusion vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12812 affects multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications, representing a critical security flaw that enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of data types within the software's processing mechanisms, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate memory operations and gain unauthorized access to system resources. The flaw exists across several major release versions including 2018.011.20038 and earlier, 2017.011.30079 and earlier, and 2015.006.30417 and earlier, indicating a persistent issue within Adobe's document processing libraries that has affected users over multiple years.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a type confusion scenario where the application fails to properly validate or distinguish between different data types during processing operations. When parsing maliciously crafted PDF files, the software incorrectly handles type information, leading to situations where memory locations intended for one data type may be accessed as another. This mismanagement creates exploitable conditions where attackers can manipulate object references and memory layouts to redirect program execution flow. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the parsing of complex PDF objects where type information is not adequately validated before operations are performed, allowing for potential buffer overflows or memory corruption scenarios that can be leveraged for code execution.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2018-12812 can result in complete system compromise, as attackers can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the currently logged-in user. This presents significant risks to enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is commonly used for document processing, as it enables attackers to bypass standard security controls and potentially escalate privileges to system-level access. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the context of user applications rather than requiring administrative privileges, making it accessible to attackers who can only interact with the application through normal user operations. This characteristic aligns with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059 for command and control execution, where adversaries can leverage legitimate software to establish persistent access and execute malicious payloads.
The impact extends beyond simple code execution to encompass potential data breaches, system reconnaissance, and lateral movement within compromised networks. Organizations utilizing affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader face substantial risk exposure, particularly in environments where PDF documents are frequently exchanged and processed. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple release versions indicates that organizations may have been exposed for extended periods without awareness, creating potential attack windows where malicious actors could have exploited the flaw undetected. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the CWE-476 weakness category, which specifically addresses null pointer dereference issues that can lead to similar exploitation patterns. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patch deployment, application whitelisting controls, and network segmentation to limit potential attack vectors, while also implementing comprehensive monitoring to detect unauthorized code execution attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts.