CVE-2018-5070 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 write 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 out-of-bounds write vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for end users and organizations. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-787, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions that occur when a program writes data past the end of a buffer, potentially corrupting adjacent memory locations. The flaw manifests in the handling of malformed PDF files, where the application fails to properly validate input data before attempting to write to memory regions. When a maliciously crafted PDF document is opened, the vulnerable code path triggers an out-of-bounds write operation that can overwrite critical memory segments including stack canaries, return addresses, or other program variables. This memory corruption creates an opportunity for attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user, effectively providing a local privilege escalation vector.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it represents a critical attack surface that adversaries can exploit through social engineering campaigns targeting end users. Attackers typically deliver malicious PDF files via email phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or infected file sharing platforms where users might inadvertently open documents containing the crafted payloads. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently handle PDF documents from external sources. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.007 for command and control communications, as successful exploitation can establish persistent access through the execution of malicious code. The attack surface is further expanded by the widespread use of Adobe Acrobat and Reader across different operating systems, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking broad impact.
Organizations must implement immediate mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor-provided security patches released by Adobe, which contain the necessary code fixes to prevent the out-of-bounds write condition. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment across all affected systems, particularly those handling sensitive documents or serving as primary email gateways. Additional defensive measures include implementing PDF content filtering solutions that can identify and quarantine suspicious documents before they reach end users, deploying sandboxing technologies to analyze PDF files in isolated environments, and establishing user awareness training programs to reduce successful social engineering attempts. Network-level controls such as email filtering systems and web proxies can also help prevent the delivery of malicious PDF files to user workstations. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw necessitates comprehensive monitoring for potential exploitation attempts, including analysis of unusual process creation patterns, memory access violations, and network connections that may indicate successful exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict the execution of unauthorized PDF processing applications, thereby reducing the attack surface for this and similar vulnerabilities.