CVE-2019-7024 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 read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2020
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2019.010.20069 and earlier, 2017.011.30113 and earlier, and 2015.006.30464 and earlier releases. This vulnerability resides in the handling of PDF files and manifests as an improper validation of input data during the parsing process. The flaw occurs when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries while processing malformed PDF content, creating a condition where adjacent memory segments can be accessed without proper bounds checking. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in information disclosure or system instability.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious PDF file that triggers the specific parsing error within the vulnerable software versions. When a user opens such a crafted document, the application's memory management routines fail to properly validate array indices or buffer limits, causing the program to read data from unauthorized memory regions. This out-of-bounds memory access can potentially expose sensitive information such as encryption keys, passwords, or other confidential data stored in adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability represents a significant risk in environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources, as it can be leveraged to extract valuable information from the victim's system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations relying on Adobe Acrobat and Reader for document processing and collaboration. The information disclosure potential means that attackers could gain access to sensitive corporate data, intellectual property, or personal information stored in memory during PDF processing. The vulnerability aligns with attack techniques described in the attack tree framework where adversaries can leverage application-level vulnerabilities to achieve information gathering objectives. Organizations may experience data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage if this vulnerability is exploited in targeted attacks. The attack surface extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable further exploitation through the exposure of memory layout information that could aid in developing more sophisticated attacks.
The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate deployment of patches provided by Adobe to address the out-of-bounds read condition in the affected software versions. System administrators should implement strict PDF document validation policies and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to isolate PDF processing activities. Network security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help prevent the delivery of malicious PDF files to end users. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their document processing workflows and implement user education programs to raise awareness about the risks of opening untrusted PDF documents. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against application-level exploits that can bypass traditional security controls.