CVE-2018-5023 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 Out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2024
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions prior to 2018.011.20040, 2017.011.30080, and 2015.006.30418 contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that stems from improper input validation within the document parsing functionality. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions where an application attempts to read memory beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw occurs when processing maliciously crafted PDF documents that contain malformed data structures, particularly within the document object hierarchy or embedded content streams. When the vulnerable software attempts to parse these malformed elements, it fails to properly validate array indices or buffer limits, leading to unauthorized memory access patterns that can result in information disclosure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information leakage, as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive data that may be stored in adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability represents a significant concern within the cybersecurity landscape because it can be exploited through social engineering techniques where users are诱导 to open malicious PDF files. The attack surface is particularly broad given that Adobe Acrobat and Reader are widely deployed across enterprise environments and individual workstations, making this vulnerability attractive to threat actors seeking to establish persistent access or extract confidential information from targeted organizations. The vulnerability can be classified under the MITRE ATT&CK framework as part of the T1059 technique category, which encompasses execution through various application interfaces, specifically targeting the document processing capabilities of widely used software.
Successful exploitation of CVE-2018-5023 requires an attacker to craft a malicious PDF document that triggers the out-of-bounds read condition during normal document parsing operations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it does not require user interaction beyond opening the document, making it a prime candidate for automated exploitation campaigns. The information disclosure aspect of this vulnerability means that attackers could potentially access sensitive data such as memory contents, encryption keys, or other confidential information stored in the application's memory space. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, as the vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild. Additionally, network segmentation and application whitelisting strategies should be implemented to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Security professionals should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious PDF file processing activities and monitor for potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.