CVE-2018-4898 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Adobe Acrobat Reader 2018.009.20050 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30070 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30394 and earlier versions. The vulnerability is caused by the computation that writes data past the end of the intended buffer; the computation is part of the XPS engine that adds vector graphics and images to a fixed page. An attacker can potentially leverage the vulnerability to corrupt sensitive data or execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4898 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within Adobe Acrobat Reader's XPS engine implementation. This flaw affects multiple versions of the software including 2018.009.20050 and earlier, 2017.011.30070 and earlier, and 2015.006.30394 and earlier releases. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the computation process responsible for handling vector graphics and images within fixed page documents, where the software fails to properly validate buffer boundaries during data processing operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the XPS rendering engine that processes fixed page documents. When Adobe Acrobat Reader encounters XPS formatted content containing specially crafted vector graphics or image data, the software performs computations that write data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This buffer overflow condition creates a potential execution path for malicious code injection, as the overflow can overwrite adjacent memory locations containing critical program data or control structures. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may also relate to CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4898 extends beyond simple data corruption, presenting significant security risks to affected systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Adobe Acrobat Reader, leading to complete system compromise. The attack vector typically involves tricking a user into opening a maliciously crafted XPS document, which could be delivered through email attachments, malicious websites, or compromised file sharing platforms. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes the use of malicious documents to gain initial access and execute code on target systems.
Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the latest security patches provided by Adobe, which address the buffer overflow conditions in the XPS engine. Additionally, implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted documents, deploying sandboxing mechanisms for document processing, and conducting regular security awareness training to prevent users from opening suspicious attachments can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Network segmentation and monitoring for unusual document processing activities can also help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management in document rendering engines, as these components often handle untrusted data from external sources.