CVE-2018-15939 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 • 03/31/2020
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 memory corruption flaw that falls under CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write. The vulnerability occurs when the software processes certain PDF objects without proper bounds checking, allowing an attacker to write data beyond the allocated memory buffer. This type of flaw is particularly dangerous as it can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on the target system, making it a prime target for remote code execution attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious PDF file that triggers the out-of-bounds write condition during document parsing. When a user opens the malicious document, the application's memory management fails to validate the boundaries of allocated buffers, allowing the attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This memory corruption can be leveraged to redirect program execution flow, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries exploit software vulnerabilities to execute code on victim systems. The impact extends beyond simple code execution as the flaw can be used to bypass security controls and escalate privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations using Adobe Acrobat and Reader, as these applications are widely deployed across enterprise environments and are frequently used to open documents from untrusted sources. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through social engineering campaigns targeting end users, phishing emails containing malicious PDF attachments, or by compromising websites that serve malicious documents. The vulnerability affects both desktop and mobile versions of the software, making it a broad attack surface. Organizations that have not patched their systems remain at risk of targeted attacks, as the exploit can be automated and does not require sophisticated technical skills to implement. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version streams indicates a long-standing issue that was not properly addressed in the software lifecycle, highlighting the importance of regular security updates and patch management.
Organizations should immediately implement patch management strategies to upgrade to patched versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader, with the most recent versions containing fixes for this vulnerability. Security teams should also deploy network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for PDF-related traffic patterns and consider implementing application whitelisting controls to prevent execution of untrusted PDF files. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the dangers of opening PDF attachments from unknown sources, as this vulnerability can be effectively exploited through social engineering tactics. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the potential consequences of delayed remediation in enterprise environments.