CVE-2018-12852 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 use after free vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12852 represents a critical use after free flaw affecting Adobe Acrobat and Reader software across multiple version lines including 2018.011.20063 and earlier, 2017.011.30102 and earlier, and 2015.006.30452 and earlier. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory that has already been freed or deallocated, creating a dangerous condition where malicious actors can manipulate the program's memory state to execute arbitrary code. The flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory, making it a well-documented and serious security concern. The vulnerability exists within the document processing functionality of Adobe's software, where the application fails to properly validate memory references after objects have been destroyed, creating a potential entry point for attackers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it represents a sophisticated attack vector that can be leveraged for complete system compromise. When an attacker successfully triggers the use after free condition, they can potentially overwrite critical memory locations with malicious code, allowing for privilege escalation and persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability's exploitation typically occurs through crafted malicious PDF files that, when opened by the vulnerable software, trigger the memory corruption. This attack pattern aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique T1059.007 for command and control through PDF documents, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where PDF processing is common. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software versions means that organizations across various industries remain at risk, particularly those that do not maintain up-to-date security patches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-12852 require immediate action through patch management and software updates to address the underlying memory handling flaw. Organizations should prioritize updating to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader where the vulnerability has been resolved, as Adobe released security patches specifically addressing this issue. Network-based defenses should include PDF file scanning and filtering to prevent malicious documents from reaching end users, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious memory access patterns. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw necessitates comprehensive network segmentation and access controls to limit potential attack surface. Security teams should also implement monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns and implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of untrusted PDF processing applications. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of opening unexpected PDF files remains crucial, as social engineering remains a primary attack vector for this type of vulnerability.