CVE-2018-15922 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 falls under the CWE-129 weakness category which represents an insufficient validation of the length or size of a buffer, creating opportunities for attackers to read memory locations beyond the intended bounds. The flaw occurs when processing specially crafted pdf documents that contain malformed data structures, particularly within the document parsing routines that handle various object types and their associated metadata.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper bounds checking during the parsing of pdf file structures where the application fails to validate array indices or buffer sizes before accessing memory locations. When an attacker crafts a malicious pdf document with malformed data entries, the application's parsing logic attempts to read beyond allocated memory regions, potentially exposing sensitive information from adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability is classified as a memory safety issue that can result in information disclosure, making it particularly dangerous as it may reveal system memory contents including cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other sensitive data that could be leveraged in subsequent attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the context of the ATT&CK framework's initial access and credential access phases. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to memory contents that might include session tokens, encryption keys, or other confidential information stored in memory. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software applications means that exploitation could affect numerous endpoints across enterprise environments, particularly in scenarios where users open untrusted pdf documents from email attachments or web downloads.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to the latest versions that contain the necessary memory validation fixes. Organizations should implement strict pdf document handling policies that include content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in software development, aligning with security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. System administrators should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and block suspicious pdf file transfers, while maintaining regular security assessments to ensure that all endpoints remain protected against similar memory safety vulnerabilities that could be exploited in similar attack vectors.