CVE-2018-12871 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.
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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 including 2018.011.20063 and earlier, 2017.011.30102 and earlier, and 2015.006.30452 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the document processing components that handle pdf file parsing operations. The flaw occurs when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries while processing malformed pdf documents, specifically during the handling of certain embedded objects or streams within the pdf structure. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category which encompasses issues related to insufficient validation of length or index values, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through scriptlets or embedded code within documents.
The technical impact of this vulnerability manifests when an attacker crafts a malicious pdf document containing specially constructed data that triggers the out-of-bounds read condition. When a user opens such a document with the vulnerable Adobe application, the program attempts to access memory regions that are not properly validated, potentially leading to the disclosure of sensitive information from adjacent memory locations. This information disclosure could include internal application data, memory contents, or potentially even credentials and other confidential data stored in memory. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it requires no user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it a prime candidate for phishing attacks or social engineering campaigns. The memory corruption could also potentially be leveraged as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, though the immediate impact is primarily information disclosure rather than arbitrary code execution.
Organizations utilizing Adobe Acrobat and Reader products should prioritize immediate patching of all affected versions to mitigate this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves deploying the latest security updates from Adobe which contain fixes for the buffer over-read conditions in the pdf parsing components. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all endpoints running these applications are updated promptly. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as pdf sandboxing features, restricted file type handling, and network-based protections to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management in document processing applications, particularly those handling untrusted content from external sources. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts and consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions to identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. This issue highlights the ongoing challenge of securing document readers against complex attack vectors that can leverage seemingly benign file formats to execute malicious operations.