CVE-2018-4990 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 Double 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 • 02/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4990 represents a critical double free error in Adobe Acrobat and Reader software across multiple version ranges including 2018.011.20038 and earlier, 2017.011.30079 and earlier, and 2015.006.30417 and earlier. This flaw resides in the memory management handling of PDF parsing operations within the affected applications. The double free vulnerability occurs when the same memory block is deallocated twice, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation by malicious actors. The issue stems from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation sequences during PDF document processing, particularly when encountering malformed or specially crafted PDF files.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-established pattern that aligns with CWE-415, which describes improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation operations. When a malicious PDF file is processed by the vulnerable software, the application's PDF parser encounters specific memory management conditions that trigger the double free condition. This memory corruption can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user, effectively providing attackers with a local privilege escalation vector. The exploitation requires the user to open a malicious PDF file, making this a client-side attack vector that relies on social engineering to deliver the payload.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments where Adobe Acrobat and Reader are widely deployed. The ability to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user allows attackers to perform various malicious activities including data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and system compromise. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Adobe's software, increasing the attack surface and making it more challenging for organizations to maintain comprehensive protection. Security researchers have classified this as a high-severity issue due to its potential for remote code execution and the widespread use of Adobe Reader in corporate and enterprise environments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including prompt patching of all affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions to address the double free vulnerability. The recommended approach involves deploying the latest security updates from Adobe, which contain fixes for the memory management issues that lead to the double free condition. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing PDF file scanning and filtering mechanisms to detect and block potentially malicious documents before they can be opened by vulnerable applications. Network-based intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious PDF file transfers that may indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Security teams should also enforce strict access controls and user training programs to reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering attacks that rely on users opening malicious PDF attachments.