CVE-2018-12845 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 out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2024
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple product versions across different release cycles. This vulnerability resides in the handling of malformed PDF files and represents a fundamental memory access flaw that can be exploited by attackers to extract sensitive information from the application's memory space. The issue manifests when the software processes specially crafted PDF documents that contain malformed data structures, leading to unauthorized memory access patterns that reveal confidential information.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where programs access memory locations beyond the bounds of allocated buffers. This particular flaw allows attackers to craft malicious PDF files that trigger memory access violations, potentially exposing sensitive data such as stack contents, heap information, or other application memory segments. The vulnerability exists in the PDF parsing engine where insufficient bounds checking occurs during the processing of specific data structures within PDF files, particularly those related to object handling and stream processing.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations that rely on Adobe Acrobat and Reader for document processing and viewing. Successful exploitation could result in the disclosure of sensitive information that may include user credentials, system memory contents, or other confidential data that could be leveraged for further attacks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through simple document viewing operations, making it an attractive target for social engineering campaigns or automated exploitation attempts. Attackers could craft PDF files that appear legitimate but contain malicious payloads designed to trigger this memory access issue.
The exploitation of this vulnerability typically follows the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and control operations, where attackers use PDF files as initial access vectors to establish information gathering capabilities. Organizations should prioritize patch management to address this vulnerability across all affected versions, including the specific releases mentioned in the CVE description. The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of Adobe's security patches and updates, while also implementing network-based protections such as PDF file scanning and sandboxing techniques to prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should monitor for suspicious PDF file handling activities and consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of potentially malicious documents.