CVE-2018-5063 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 applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple product versions including 2018.011.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30080 and earlier, and 2015.006.30418 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the software's handling of malformed PDF files, specifically when processing certain embedded objects or streams. The flaw occurs when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, creating potential for information disclosure attacks. According to CWE-129, this represents an implementation weakness where the software fails to properly validate input boundaries before accessing memory regions. The vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution, as exploitation may involve crafting malicious PDF documents that trigger the out-of-bounds read condition.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a specially malformed PDF file that, when opened by the vulnerable Adobe application, triggers the memory access violation. The out-of-bounds read allows attackers to potentially access sensitive data from adjacent memory locations, which could include credentials, session tokens, or other confidential information stored in memory. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through simple document opening actions, making it a prime target for phishing attacks or malicious document distribution campaigns. The memory corruption behavior demonstrates characteristics of a classic buffer overflow precursor, though the specific implementation allows for read-only access rather than write operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-5063 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks. Organizations using affected Adobe versions face significant risk since PDF documents are commonly used in business communications and can be easily distributed through email, web portals, or file sharing systems. The vulnerability's presence in multiple product versions indicates a widespread exposure across different Adobe Acrobat and Reader releases, requiring comprehensive patch management strategies. Security teams must consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling exercises, particularly when assessing risks associated with document processing environments and untrusted file handling scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patch deployment as provided by Adobe's security advisories, which address the underlying bounds checking issues in the PDF parsing engine. Organizations should implement additional protective measures including PDF document sanitization, restricted file type handling, and user education regarding suspicious document attachments. Network-based defenses such as web application firewalls and email filtering solutions can help detect and block malicious PDF files before they reach end-user systems. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-129 emphasizes the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in software development practices, making it essential for organizations to review their software supply chain security measures and ensure proper vulnerability management processes are in place. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should include evaluation of document processing components to identify similar implementation weaknesses that could lead to similar out-of-bounds access conditions.