CVE-2018-15996 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2019.008.20081 and earlier, 2019.008.20080 and earlier, 2019.008.20081 and earlier, 2017.011.30106 and earlier version, 2017.011.30105 and earlier version, 2015.006.30457 and earlier, and 2015.006.30456 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 • 08/05/2024
This vulnerability exists in multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software, specifically affecting versions up to and including 2019.008.20081, 2017.011.30106, 2015.006.30457, and their respective earlier releases. The flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when processing specially crafted PDF files, representing a critical security weakness in the document parsing engine. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 category of out-of-bounds read, which is classified as a memory safety error that allows attackers to access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper bounds checking within the PDF parsing functionality of Adobe's software. When a malicious PDF file is opened, the application fails to validate the size and boundaries of data structures before accessing them, allowing an attacker to manipulate the parsing process and read memory contents that should remain protected. This memory access violation can potentially expose sensitive information such as stack contents, heap data, or other memory segments that contain confidential data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through simple document opening operations, making it an attractive target for remote exploitation.
From an operational impact perspective, successful exploitation of this vulnerability could result in information disclosure, where attackers gain access to sensitive data that may include user credentials, system information, or other confidential content stored in memory. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 which describes data from local system collection, and could potentially lead to more sophisticated attacks if combined with other exploitation techniques. The out-of-bounds read condition may also provide attackers with information that could be used to craft more targeted attacks against the system or users. Organizations using affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader face significant risk of data breaches and potential system compromise when documents containing malicious payloads are opened.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of all affected software versions to the latest releases from Adobe. System administrators should implement strict document handling policies, including sandboxing of PDF files and limiting user permissions when opening potentially malicious documents. Network-based protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls can help prevent the delivery of malicious PDF files to end users. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the affected software within the organization. The remediation process should also include user education regarding the risks of opening unknown PDF files and the importance of keeping software updated to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.