CVE-2018-4904 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. This vulnerability is an instance of a heap overflow vulnerability. The vulnerability is triggered by crafted TIFF data within an XPS file, which causes an out of bounds memory access. An attacker can potentially leverage the vulnerability to corrupt sensitive data or execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical heap overflow flaw in Adobe Acrobat Reader affecting multiple version lines including 2018.009.20050 and earlier, 2017.011.30070 and earlier, and 2015.006.30394 and earlier. The vulnerability manifests when processing specially crafted TIFF data embedded within XPS files, creating a condition where memory access exceeds allocated bounds. This heap overflow vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow category, which is classified as a serious memory safety issue that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The flaw specifically occurs during the parsing of TIFF image data structures within the XPS document processing pipeline, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to manipulate memory layout.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables remote code execution when victims open maliciously crafted XPS files containing manipulated TIFF data. Attackers can exploit this weakness by constructing XPS documents with specially formatted TIFF images that trigger the heap overflow during rendering or processing operations. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on target systems. This type of attack vector is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open documents from untrusted sources, making the vulnerability a prime target for phishing campaigns and targeted attacks.
The technical nature of the heap overflow suggests that attackers can potentially manipulate heap metadata or overwrite critical program structures to redirect execution flow. This memory corruption vulnerability allows for various attack scenarios including privilege escalation, denial of service, or complete system compromise depending on the execution environment and memory protections in place. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version lines indicates a widespread exposure across Adobe's product lifecycle, making it particularly concerning for organizations with legacy software deployments. Security researchers have noted that this flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices in the TIFF parsing component, highlighting the importance of robust memory management and bounds checking in document processing libraries.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to patched versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader, implementing application whitelisting policies, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious XPS file traffic. The vulnerability underscores the importance of keeping document processing software updated and implementing layered security approaches. System administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary document formats and implementing strict file type validation to reduce attack surface. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for regular security assessments and the implementation of defense-in-depth strategies to protect against memory corruption vulnerabilities that can lead to complete system compromise.