CVE-2019-7019 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2019.010.20069 and earlier, 2019.010.20069 and earlier, 2017.011.30113 and earlier version, and 2015.006.30464 and earlier have an out-of-bounds write vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution .
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2024
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2019.010.20069 and earlier, 2017.011.30113 and earlier, and 2015.006.30464 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-787 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions that occur when a program writes data past the end of a buffer or array. The flaw manifests during the processing of maliciously crafted pdf documents, where the application fails to properly validate input boundaries when handling certain data structures within the document. This vulnerability represents a significant security risk as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems through crafted pdf files that trigger the buffer overflow condition. The out-of-bounds write vulnerability enables attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to complete system compromise. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability can be leveraged to achieve remote code execution without requiring user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple versions of Adobe's widely used PDF reader applications, creating a broad attack surface. This type of vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where attackers can use the arbitrary code execution capability to establish persistent access. The exploitation typically requires the victim to open a malicious PDF file, which can be delivered through various attack vectors including email attachments, compromised websites, or malicious downloads. The impact extends beyond individual user systems to enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is commonly deployed, potentially enabling attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions to mitigate this vulnerability, as the potential for exploitation remains high given the widespread use of these applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in software development, particularly for applications that process untrusted data from external sources. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability is particularly dangerous due to its ability to bypass many traditional security controls and can be exploited in zero-day attack scenarios.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the PDF parsing functionality of Adobe Reader and Acrobat applications. When processing certain PDF objects, the software fails to validate the size or boundaries of data structures before writing to memory locations. This type of vulnerability is classified under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-787 which specifically addresses improper bounds checking in software applications. The flaw allows attackers to craft PDF files that contain maliciously sized data structures, which when processed by the vulnerable application result in memory corruption. The out-of-bounds write condition can be triggered during parsing of PDF elements such as embedded objects, streams, or complex data structures within the document. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through social engineering techniques where users are tricked into opening malicious PDF documents, often delivered via phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The attack surface is broad due to the widespread deployment of Adobe Reader across both personal and enterprise computing environments. The vulnerability represents a serious threat to cybersecurity posture as it provides attackers with a pathway to achieve arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable application. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistent access to target networks. Organizations should implement immediate security controls including patch management procedures, email filtering, and endpoint protection solutions to defend against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of application sandboxing and privilege separation techniques that can limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security professionals should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and implement network-based detection mechanisms to identify potential exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under techniques related to exploitation of remote services and application vulnerabilities, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls that address both network-level and application-level threats. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of regular security updates and the potential consequences of delayed patch management in enterprise security environments.