CVE-2018-4978 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2018.011.20038 and earlier, 2017.011.30079 and earlier, and 2015.006.30417 and earlier have a Heap Overflow vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2023
Adobe Acrobat and Reader contain a heap overflow vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2018.011.20038 and earlier, 2017.011.30079 and earlier, and 2015.006.30417 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking when processing maliciously crafted pdf files, specifically within the memory allocation mechanisms used by the application. The flaw occurs when the software attempts to write data beyond the allocated heap memory boundaries, creating a condition where an attacker can manipulate memory layout and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. This vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow and maps to CWE-122 Heap-based Buffer Overflow within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, representing a critical security weakness that allows attackers to corrupt heap memory structures. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for further exploitation, enabling them to escalate privileges or deploy additional malware within the victim's system. Attackers typically leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious pdf documents that trigger the overflow when opened by an affected version of Adobe Reader or Acrobat, exploiting the application's failure to validate input data before processing. The attack surface is particularly broad given the widespread use of Adobe Reader across enterprise and consumer environments, making this vulnerability highly attractive to threat actors seeking persistent access to target systems. Organizations using affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader face significant risk of compromise as this vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering tactics involving malicious email attachments or compromised websites. The exploitation process typically involves crafting a specially formatted pdf file that causes the application to allocate insufficient memory for processing certain data structures, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for remote code execution. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries abuse vulnerabilities in software applications to execute malicious code on target systems. The attack requires no special privileges to initiate but relies on user interaction with malicious content, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open pdf documents from various sources. Remediation efforts must include immediate patching of affected software versions to prevent exploitation, alongside network segmentation and email filtering measures to reduce the likelihood of encountering malicious pdf files. Security administrators should also implement monitoring for suspicious pdf file processing activities and consider deploying application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of untrusted pdf content within organizational networks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping software updated and implementing layered security controls to protect against zero-day exploits targeting widely used applications.