CVE-2018-14947 in PDF2JSON
Summary
by MITRE
An issue has been found in PDF2JSON 0.69. XmlFontAccu::CSStyle in XmlFonts.cc has Mismatched Memory Management Routines (operator new [] versus operator delete).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14947 resides within the PDF2JSON 0.69 library, specifically within the XmlFontAccu::CSStyle component located in XmlFonts.cc. This issue represents a critical memory management flaw that arises from the improper pairing of dynamic memory allocation and deallocation routines. The flaw manifests when the code employs operator new[] for memory allocation but subsequently uses operator delete for memory deallocation, creating a fundamental mismatch in the memory management protocol.
This mismatch in memory management routines constitutes a direct violation of fundamental software engineering principles and is categorized under CWE-415 as Double Free or CWE-416 as Use After Free conditions. The improper memory handling creates a potential vector for memory corruption attacks that could be exploited by malicious actors to manipulate program execution flow. When the application attempts to free memory allocated with new[], using delete instead of delete[], the runtime system may encounter undefined behavior that could result in heap corruption, application crashes, or potentially arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides attackers with opportunities to leverage memory management flaws for more sophisticated attacks. This type of vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in applications that process untrusted input, such as PDF parsing software, where an attacker could craft malicious PDF files designed to trigger the specific memory management path that leads to the mismatched routines. The vulnerability affects the broader ecosystem of applications that depend on PDF2JSON for document processing, potentially compromising the security of systems that parse PDF content.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention through code review and patching of the affected library. Developers should ensure that all memory allocation and deallocation operations use matching routines, specifically employing new[] with delete[] and new with delete. Additionally, comprehensive memory debugging tools and static analysis should be employed to identify similar patterns throughout the codebase. The fix involves correcting the memory management implementation to properly match allocation and deallocation calls, thereby eliminating the potential for heap corruption and ensuring proper resource management. Organizations should also implement automated testing procedures that include memory leak detection and heap integrity checks to prevent similar issues from emerging in future code releases. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1070.004 for Indicator Removal on Host, as it could enable attackers to establish persistent access through memory corruption exploitation.