CVE-2018-12864 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 write vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12864 represents a critical out-of-bounds write flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software. This issue manifests in the processing of PDF documents and occurs when the application handles certain malformed or specially crafted PDF files. The vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-787, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions where an application attempts to write data beyond the boundaries of a fixed-length buffer. The flaw exists in the PDF parsing engine of Adobe's document processing software, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through routine document opening activities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the memory layout of the affected applications by crafting malicious PDF files that cause the software to write data beyond allocated memory regions. When Adobe Acrobat or Reader processes these specially constructed documents, the out-of-bounds write operation can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical application data structures or executable code. This memory corruption can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the targeted user, effectively providing attackers with a remote code execution capability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the core level of document processing, making it difficult to detect through standard security measures.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-12864 extends beyond simple exploitation scenarios as it represents a significant threat vector for enterprise environments where Adobe Reader and Acrobat are widely deployed. Organizations that rely heavily on PDF document sharing and processing are particularly vulnerable since the attack surface is extensive and the exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening a malicious document. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions spanning several years, indicating a persistent flaw in Adobe's document processing architecture that required substantial time to address. Security researchers have noted that the flaw can be exploited through social engineering tactics, where users might inadvertently open malicious documents while performing legitimate work activities, making it a particularly insidious threat.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-12864 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations must ensure that all instances of Adobe Acrobat and Reader are updated to versions that contain the necessary security fixes, as Adobe released patches specifically addressing this issue in their subsequent software releases. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can provide additional defensive layers by restricting the execution of unauthorized PDF processing software and limiting the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious PDF file access patterns and unusual memory behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers legitimate user execution through application shimming, where attackers might attempt to leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code through PDF documents. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for outdated Adobe software versions to prevent exploitation of this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.