CVE-2018-19711 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 • 08/03/2024
This vulnerability affects multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software, specifically targeting out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in information disclosure. The flaw exists within the processing mechanisms of these applications, where improper input validation allows attackers to trigger memory access violations that may expose sensitive data from adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability manifests when the software attempts to read memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries, creating potential avenues for attackers to extract confidential information. This type of vulnerability represents a critical security weakness that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to system data, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where sensitive documents and information are commonly processed.
The technical implementation of this out-of-bounds read vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the document parsing routines of Adobe's software suite. When processing malformed or specially crafted PDF files, the applications fail to properly validate array indices or buffer limits, allowing memory access to occur beyond allocated boundaries. This condition typically occurs during the parsing of complex PDF structures or when handling malformed input data that triggers unexpected memory access patterns. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient validation of length of buffers, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through application-specific vulnerabilities. The flaw can be exploited by embedding malicious content within PDF documents that, when opened by vulnerable versions of Adobe Reader or Acrobat, triggers the memory access violation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can potentially enable attackers to extract system memory contents including passwords, encryption keys, or other sensitive information. Attackers can craft malicious PDF files that, when opened by victims using vulnerable software versions, will trigger the out-of-bounds read condition and potentially leak memory contents to the attacker. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited remotely through email attachments or web-based PDF delivery mechanisms, making it a significant threat vector for social engineering attacks. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions across different release cycles, indicating that it represents a persistent flaw in the software's memory management and input validation processes, which can be leveraged in various attack scenarios including targeted espionage and data exfiltration operations.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including patching all affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to versions that address this vulnerability, as well as implementing network-based controls to monitor and block suspicious PDF file transfers. Security teams should also consider deploying endpoint protection solutions that can detect and prevent exploitation attempts through behavioral analysis and anomaly detection. The recommended remediation strategy involves updating to the latest stable versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat, which include fixed implementations of buffer validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing PDF sandboxing features and restricting user permissions when processing untrusted documents. These measures align with security best practices for mitigating memory corruption vulnerabilities and should be implemented as part of a comprehensive security posture to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities in the Adobe ecosystem.