CVE-2018-4926 in Digital Editions
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Digital Editions versions 4.5.7 and below have an exploitable Stack Overflow vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/07/2020
Adobe Digital Editions stack overflow vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that affects versions 4.5.7 and earlier implementations. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the application's processing of specially crafted malicious files. The flaw manifests when the software attempts to handle malformed data structures during document parsing operations, leading to a buffer overflow condition in the stack memory region. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it can be exploited through crafted ebook files or digital content that Adobe Digital Editions processes during normal operation. Attackers can leverage this weakness by preparing maliciously formatted documents that trigger the overflow when opened or processed by the vulnerable application. The stack overflow occurs when the application fails to properly bounds-check data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers, allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, which is classified as a common weakness in software security implementations. The potential impact extends beyond simple application crashes to include information disclosure capabilities, as the overflow may allow attackers to access sensitive memory contents or potentially execute arbitrary code depending on the memory layout and system protections. The vulnerability demonstrates poor memory management practices and inadequate defensive programming techniques that are fundamental requirements for secure software development. From an operational perspective, this flaw poses significant risks to users who regularly process digital content, particularly in enterprise environments where Adobe Digital Editions might be deployed across multiple devices. The exploitability of this vulnerability means that simply opening a maliciously crafted document could result in unauthorized information disclosure without user interaction beyond the normal application usage. Organizations using affected versions should consider immediate remediation actions as the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against users who process untrusted digital content. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under the T1203 technique of Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers leverage application flaws to execute malicious code or extract sensitive information. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability highlights the importance of regular software updates and the necessity of maintaining current versions of third-party applications to prevent exploitation of known flaws. The presence of such vulnerabilities in digital content processing applications underscores the need for robust input sanitization and memory safety practices in software development lifecycle processes. Proper implementation of bounds checking and secure coding practices would have prevented this vulnerability from existing in the first place, making it a clear example of preventable security weaknesses in commercial software products. Organizations should implement network segmentation and application whitelisting controls to limit potential exploitation of this vulnerability while awaiting patch deployment.
The technical nature of this stack overflow vulnerability specifically relates to how the Adobe Digital Editions application handles memory allocation and data processing during document rendering operations. When the application encounters malformed input data structures, the lack of proper boundary checks causes the program to write beyond allocated memory space, corrupting the stack and potentially allowing attackers to manipulate program execution flow. This particular vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient defensive programming measures can create exploitable conditions in legitimate software applications. The memory corruption resulting from the stack overflow could expose sensitive information stored in adjacent memory locations, including session tokens, user credentials, or other confidential data that might be accessible through the corrupted memory state. The vulnerability's classification as a stack-based buffer overflow indicates that the attacker can potentially control the instruction pointer and redirect program execution to malicious code locations. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in client-side applications where users might encounter malicious content from untrusted sources, making the attack surface significantly broader than server-side equivalents. The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal user interaction beyond normal application usage, making it a particularly attractive target for threat actors seeking to compromise end-user systems. The information disclosure aspect of this vulnerability indicates that attackers might be able to extract sensitive data from the application's memory space, potentially including user data, system information, or proprietary content. The vulnerability's presence in a widely used digital content management application creates a substantial risk profile for organizations that depend on Adobe Digital Editions for document processing and distribution. Security controls should focus on preventing the execution of malicious documents and implementing proper input validation measures to prevent the exploitation of this memory corruption vulnerability. The remediation approach should emphasize immediate patch deployment and the implementation of security measures that prevent untrusted content processing within the vulnerable application environment. Organizations should also consider the broader implications of this vulnerability for their digital content workflows and implement additional security controls to protect against similar flaws in other software applications.