CVE-2018-15949 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 • 08/06/2024
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 input validation within the document parsing functionality that processes pdf files, specifically when handling malformed or specially crafted pdf documents. The flaw occurs when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the bounds of allocated buffers during pdf parsing operations, creating potential information disclosure pathways. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where programs access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering techniques where an attacker crafts malicious pdf documents designed to trigger the out-of-bounds read condition when opened by an affected version of Adobe Acrobat or Reader. When exploited, the vulnerability may allow an attacker to read sensitive memory contents from the application process, potentially exposing confidential information such as encryption keys, user credentials, or other sensitive data stored in memory. The operational impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as this vulnerability could serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, potentially enabling privilege escalation or further exploitation within the compromised system. This vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the ATT&CK framework under the information gathering and privilege escalation domains, particularly leveraging the use of malicious documents to extract sensitive information from targeted systems. The risk is elevated in enterprise environments where users frequently open pdf documents from external sources or where the applications are used in high-security contexts where information disclosure could have significant implications. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions to mitigate this vulnerability, as the out-of-bounds read condition can be reliably triggered through standard pdf file manipulation techniques. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper bounds checking in document processing applications, where the parsing of untrusted input data must include comprehensive validation to prevent memory access violations that could compromise system security. Additionally, organizations should implement defensive measures such as pdf sandboxing, restricted file type handling, and user education programs to reduce the attack surface and prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities in their environments.