CVE-2018-16034 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 • 08/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16034 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software. This issue manifests in the handling of specific file formats where the application fails to properly validate array indices or buffer boundaries during processing operations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the software's parsing routines, particularly when processing malformed or specially crafted documents that trigger memory access violations. Security researchers have classified this as a memory safety issue that can be exploited to extract sensitive information from the application's memory space through improper bounds checking.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic buffer over-read condition where the Acrobat Reader application attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This occurs when the software processes certain PDF elements or embedded objects that contain malformed data structures or unexpected parameter values. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it allows an attacker to craft malicious documents that, when opened by an affected version of Adobe Reader, cause the application to read beyond its intended memory limits. This out-of-bounds memory access can potentially expose sensitive data including memory addresses, encryption keys, or other confidential information that resides in adjacent memory locations.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-16034 extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. While the primary risk is data leakage through memory exposure, attackers can leverage this vulnerability as a stepping stone for further exploitation. The information disclosed through the out-of-bounds read can provide attackers with insights into the application's memory layout, which may facilitate subsequent exploitation techniques such as heap spraying or return-oriented programming attacks. This vulnerability affects users across multiple product versions, with specific impacted releases including 2019.008.20081 and earlier, 2017.011.30106 and earlier, and 2015.006.30457 and earlier versions, indicating a widespread exposure across Adobe's product lifecycle.
Organizations and individuals should prioritize immediate remediation through official Adobe security patches and updates to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader where the out-of-bounds read issue has been resolved through proper input validation and memory boundary checks. Security teams should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider deploying application whitelisting controls to prevent execution of untrusted PDF documents. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening PDF files from untrusted sources, as this vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering attacks that deliver malicious documents via email or web downloads. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and information gathering through memory analysis.