CVE-2018-15934 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 write vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2023
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds write 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 resides in the handling of malformed PDF files and represents a classic buffer overflow condition where an attacker can write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries. The flaw occurs when the software processes certain PDF objects without proper bounds checking, allowing malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-787: "Out-of-bounds Write" and aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution through malicious document manipulation. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied data during PDF parsing operations, particularly when processing embedded objects or streams within the document structure. When exploited, this vulnerability can lead to complete system compromise through arbitrary code execution, as attackers can manipulate memory contents to inject and execute malicious payloads. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation since the exploitation can occur in the context of the user running the application, potentially allowing attackers to execute code with the same privileges as the target user. This vulnerability represents a significant risk in enterprise environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources, making it a prime target for social engineering attacks and zero-day exploitation campaigns. The out-of-bounds write condition creates a predictable attack surface that can be leveraged for privilege escalation, information disclosure, or system takeover depending on the execution environment and target system configuration. Security researchers have identified this as a high-severity issue due to its exploitable nature and the widespread use of Adobe Reader across various organizations. The vulnerability's exploitation requires crafting a malicious PDF document that triggers the specific parsing path containing the buffer overflow condition, making it suitable for targeted attacks rather than mass exploitation. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions to mitigate this risk, as the vulnerability provides attackers with a direct path to code execution within the application's memory space. The flaw demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in document processing applications, particularly those handling complex file formats like PDF which contain numerous parsing points that can be exploited if proper bounds checking is not implemented. This vulnerability type has been historically associated with successful exploitation in real-world scenarios, making it a critical concern for security teams managing document processing workflows in their environments.