CVE-2018-5012 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader 2018.011.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30080 and earlier, and 2015.006.30418 and earlier versions have an Untrusted pointer dereference 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 • 08/10/2024
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions prior to 2018.011.20040, 2017.011.30080, and 2015.006.30418 contain a critical untrusted pointer dereference vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for end users and organizations. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, where the application fails to properly validate pointer values before attempting to access memory locations. The flaw occurs when the software processes maliciously crafted PDF files that contain specially constructed pointer references, which are not properly validated or sanitized by the application's memory management routines. When a user opens a compromised document, the application attempts to dereference these untrusted pointers, leading to unpredictable behavior that can be exploited by attackers.
The exploitation of this vulnerability enables remote code execution in the context of the current user, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where users may open untrusted documents from email attachments or web downloads. Attackers can craft malicious PDF files that trigger the vulnerable code path, causing the application to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the currently logged-in user. This represents a severe privilege escalation vector since the attacker does not need to be authenticated to the system, and the attack can be delivered through simple email attachments or web-based exploits. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices in the PDF parsing engine, where pointer values from untrusted sources are directly used without proper verification mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations that rely heavily on Adobe Acrobat and Reader for document processing and collaboration. The attack surface is broad since PDF files are commonly shared through email, file sharing systems, and web portals, making it easy for attackers to deliver payloads. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through social engineering attacks where users are tricked into opening seemingly legitimate documents. Organizations may experience data breaches, system compromise, or lateral movement within their networks if attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability. The impact extends beyond individual user systems to potentially affect entire network infrastructures, especially in environments where Adobe Reader is the default PDF viewer.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5012 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to the latest versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement strict document validation policies that include sandboxing PDF files before opening them, particularly for documents received from external sources or untrusted parties. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls and email filtering systems should be configured to scan and block potentially malicious PDF attachments. Additionally, security awareness training for end users can help reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks that exploit this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability exploitation under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, highlighting the importance of both endpoint protection and user education in defending against such attacks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure all systems are properly patched and protected against similar vulnerabilities in the future.