CVE-2018-12878 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 version ranges including 2018.011.20063 and earlier, 2017.011.30102 and earlier, and 2015.006.30452 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the software's handling of specific file formats, particularly those involving PDF document parsing and rendering operations. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries during processing of malformed or specially crafted input files. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-129 which specifically addresses insufficient checking of the length or size of a buffer, making it susceptible to out-of-bounds reads. The technical implementation involves the software's failure to validate array indices or buffer limits when processing structured data elements within PDF files, particularly in contexts involving embedded objects, streams, or complex formatting elements.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. An attacker could exploit this weakness by crafting malicious PDF documents that trigger the out-of-bounds read condition when opened or processed by vulnerable versions of Adobe Acrobat or Reader. Successful exploitation may result in the disclosure of sensitive memory contents including but not limited to stack contents, heap data, or other application memory segments that could contain authentication tokens, user credentials, or other confidential information. The vulnerability's exploitation requires the target user to open or interact with the malicious document, making it a client-side attack vector that aligns with the attack technique T1203 in the ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting software exploitation through document-based attacks. This type of vulnerability represents a significant risk in enterprise environments where users regularly open PDF documents from untrusted sources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to the latest available versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive software update management policies that ensure timely deployment of security patches across all endpoints. Additionally, network-level defenses such as PDF content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection by analyzing PDF files before they reach end-user systems. Security teams should also consider implementing user education programs to raise awareness about the risks of opening suspicious PDF documents and establish strict policies for handling documents from external sources. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue underscores the importance of memory safety practices and regular security assessments of third-party software components. Organizations should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to PDF-based attacks and maintain robust incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts.