CVE-2018-12850 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2018.011.20058 and earlier, 2017.011.30099 and earlier, and 2015.006.30448 and earlier have an out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2023
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2018.011.20058 and earlier, 2017.011.30099 and earlier, and 2015.006.30448 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the handling of malformed PDF files and represents a classic buffer over-read condition that occurs when the software attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw manifests during the processing of specific PDF elements where the application fails to properly validate input data before performing memory operations, leading to unauthorized memory access patterns that can expose sensitive information stored in adjacent memory locations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions in software systems. When an attacker crafts a malicious PDF file containing specially formatted data structures, the vulnerable Adobe applications will process these inputs without adequate bounds checking, causing the program to read beyond intended memory buffers. This memory access violation can result in information disclosure as the application may inadvertently expose contents of memory segments that contain sensitive data such as passwords, encryption keys, or other confidential information. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it operates at the memory management level, making it difficult to detect and mitigate through traditional input validation methods.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations that rely on Adobe Acrobat and Reader for document processing, as it can be exploited through simple file delivery mechanisms such as email attachments or web downloads. The attack surface is extensive given the widespread adoption of Adobe Reader across enterprise environments, making it a prime target for threat actors seeking to extract sensitive information from compromised systems. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through document processing. Organizations running affected versions face potential data breaches and information disclosure incidents that could compromise intellectual property, financial records, and personal data stored within their systems.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching of affected Adobe applications to the latest versions that contain fixed implementations of memory boundary checking mechanisms. System administrators should implement strict document filtering policies that prevent execution of potentially malicious PDF files through sandboxed environments or dedicated document processing systems. Network-based defenses can include content inspection systems that identify and block suspicious PDF file characteristics, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for unusual memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of Adobe Reader to trusted environments only, and conduct regular security assessments to identify any remaining vulnerable installations within their infrastructure. The remediation process requires careful testing to ensure that updated versions maintain compatibility with existing document processing workflows while eliminating the memory access vulnerabilities that could be exploited by adversaries.