CVE-2019-7049 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 identified as CVE-2019-7049 that affects multiple product versions including 2019.010.20069 and earlier, 2017.011.30113 and earlier, and 2015.006.30464 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the handling of specific file formats within the document processing engine, where improper bounds checking allows an attacker to read memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The flaw manifests when the application processes maliciously crafted PDF files that contain malformed data structures, specifically within the document object model parsing routines. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-129 as an insufficient bounds checking issue, which represents a fundamental weakness in input validation that enables unauthorized memory access patterns.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of PDF document structures that trigger improper memory access during document rendering or parsing operations. When a victim opens a specially crafted malicious PDF file, the application's memory management routines attempt to read data from memory locations that are outside the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions. This out-of-bounds read condition can result in the disclosure of confidential data including but not limited to cryptographic keys, user credentials, system memory contents, or application-specific information that could be leveraged for further exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-7049 extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the attacker's threat model. Security researchers have documented that this vulnerability can be exploited in conjunction with other techniques to achieve remote code execution, particularly when combined with memory corruption vulnerabilities or when the disclosed information can be used to bypass security controls. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software versions means that organizations using Adobe Acrobat and Reader across their enterprise networks face significant risk exposure, especially in environments where users regularly open PDF documents from untrusted sources. This issue represents a critical concern for organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government where document processing is routine and sensitive information is frequently handled.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-7049 should prioritize immediate patch management through Adobe's official security updates, which address the underlying bounds checking deficiencies in the document processing engine. Organizations should implement network-based controls such as PDF content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to prevent the execution of potentially malicious documents before they reach end-user systems. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing user education programs to raise awareness about the risks of opening PDF files from untrusted sources and establish strict document handling policies that include automated scanning and validation of all incoming PDF content. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls and monitoring for suspicious file access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.