CVE-2018-4980 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 Use-after-free 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
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4980 represents a critical use-after-free flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software. This vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the affected applications, specifically in how they handle memory allocation and deallocation during document processing operations. The flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the application's memory state in a way that permits the execution of malicious code with the privileges of the currently logged-in user. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited through seemingly benign document interactions, making them ideal for targeted attacks and social engineering campaigns.
The technical nature of this use-after-free vulnerability falls under CWE-416, which categorizes memory access violations occurring when memory is freed and then subsequently accessed. In the context of Adobe Acrobat and Reader, this occurs when the application processes maliciously crafted PDF files that trigger improper memory handling during document parsing. When a user opens an attacker-controlled PDF document, the application may free certain memory segments while still maintaining references to them, creating a scenario where subsequent operations can write to or read from already freed memory locations. This condition enables attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the application's memory space, bypassing standard security mechanisms and potentially escalating privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4980 extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to victim systems through the context of the current user. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, malicious websites, or compromised documents distributed through legitimate channels. Once successfully exploited, attackers can establish persistent backdoors, steal sensitive information, or deploy additional malware payloads. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions, indicating a widespread exposure across different Adobe Reader and Acrobat releases, which increases the potential attack surface significantly. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is commonly used for document review and processing, making it an attractive target for advanced persistent threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-4980 should prioritize immediate software updates from Adobe, as the vendor has released patches addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly. Additional protective measures include deploying application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of untrusted PDF files, implementing email filtering solutions to block malicious attachments, and conducting user awareness training to recognize potential social engineering attempts. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual PDF processing activities and memory access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving exploitation of known vulnerabilities and privilege escalation, making it a critical component in threat hunting and incident response procedures. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for PDF document processing to isolate potentially malicious content and prevent successful exploitation attempts from compromising the broader network infrastructure.