CVE-2018-19699 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
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 out-of-bounds read flaw represents a fundamental memory access violation that occurs when the application attempts to read data from memory locations outside the intended buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in information disclosure or system compromise. The vulnerability manifests when processing specially crafted PDF files that contain malformed data structures, causing the application to access memory regions that have not been properly validated or allocated.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the affected Adobe software parses maliciously constructed PDF documents, particularly those containing crafted objects or arrays that exceed their defined boundaries. During normal operation, the application's PDF parser should validate all input data before attempting to access memory locations, but in this case, the validation logic fails to properly check array bounds or object dimensions. When the parser encounters an out-of-bounds access condition, it may read adjacent memory locations that could contain sensitive data such as stack contents, heap data, or other application memory segments. This information disclosure can potentially reveal cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other confidential information that may be stored in adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through simple document opening operations without requiring any additional user interaction beyond normal PDF viewing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can provide attackers with valuable insights into the application's memory layout and potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to sensitive information stored in memory, which might include session tokens, encryption keys, or other confidential data that could be leveraged for further exploitation. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions across different Adobe Acrobat and Reader releases indicates a widespread issue that affects both newer and legacy installations, making it a significant concern for organizations that maintain older software versions. Security researchers have documented that this type of information disclosure vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more advanced attacks, including privilege escalation or remote code execution scenarios, depending on the specific memory contents that are accessed.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software, which contain patches addressing this specific out-of-bounds read vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing a comprehensive patch management program that ensures all systems running Adobe software are updated with the latest security patches. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious PDF content before it reaches end-user systems. Security teams should also monitor for any indicators of compromise that might suggest exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on unusual memory access patterns or unexpected data disclosures in system logs. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software installations and implementing robust security controls around document processing, as this type of flaw can be exploited through simple social engineering attacks that trick users into opening malicious documents. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing technologies for PDF processing to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, and establish procedures for validating all PDF documents before processing them in enterprise environments.