CVE-2018-12877 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-2018-12877 represents a critical use after free flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software. This vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the affected applications, specifically in how they handle memory allocation and deallocation processes. The flaw occurs when the software attempts to access memory that has already been freed, creating a dangerous condition that can be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability affects Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2018.011.20063 and earlier, 2017.011.30102 and earlier, and 2015.006.30452 and earlier, indicating a widespread issue across multiple product releases and years of development. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category, which specifically addresses use after free conditions in software development, making it a well-documented and serious security concern within the cybersecurity community.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the victim's session. When an attacker successfully triggers the use after free condition, they can manipulate the memory layout to redirect program execution flow, potentially allowing them to inject and run malicious code on the target system. The impact extends beyond simple code execution as this vulnerability can be leveraged for privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and system compromise. The nature of the flaw means that attackers can exploit it through crafted PDF files, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently open documents from untrusted sources. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise security as it can be exploited remotely through web browsers or email attachments, requiring no special privileges from the attacker to initiate the exploitation process.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-12877 is substantial across enterprise environments where Adobe Acrobat and Reader are widely deployed. Organizations using affected versions face increased risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their networks. The vulnerability's ability to enable arbitrary code execution means that attackers can establish persistent backdoors, steal sensitive information, or deploy additional malware payloads. Security teams must consider the widespread deployment of these applications across various departments and user groups, making the potential attack surface particularly large. The vulnerability also impacts compliance requirements, as organizations may fail to meet security standards that mandate timely patching of known vulnerabilities. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability represents a valuable tool in advanced persistent threat campaigns due to its reliability and the broad range of affected systems. The vulnerability's exploitation can occur without user interaction in some scenarios, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that do not maintain strict patch management policies.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-12877 primarily focus on immediate patching and operational security measures. Adobe released security updates addressing this vulnerability, and organizations should prioritize applying these patches to all affected systems. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, administrators should implement additional protective measures such as disabling PDF processing in web browsers, implementing application whitelisting policies, and monitoring for suspicious file access patterns. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems can help identify exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should include verification of patch status across all systems. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing robust software update management processes. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing technologies to isolate PDF processing and reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security awareness training for end users remains crucial as many exploitation scenarios rely on social engineering to deliver malicious PDF files to unsuspecting victims. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059 technique for command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation often leads to command execution capabilities within the compromised system.