CVE-2019-7055 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.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
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 versions. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that occur when a program attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw manifests when the software processes malformed PDF files, particularly during the parsing of certain embedded objects or streams within the document structure. When an attacker crafts a malicious PDF file containing specially constructed data, the application's memory management routines fail to properly validate array indices or buffer limits, leading to unauthorized memory access patterns that can expose sensitive information stored in adjacent memory locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attacks depending on the execution environment and available memory layout. Attackers can leverage this weakness to extract confidential data such as cryptographic keys, user credentials, or system memory contents that may contain additional sensitive information. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution, as successful exploitation often requires crafting malicious payloads that can be executed within the application's memory space. This weakness particularly affects enterprise environments where PDF documents are frequently processed and shared, creating multiple potential attack vectors through email attachments, document repositories, or web-based PDF viewers.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to version 2019.010.20070 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this out-of-bounds read condition. Organizations should implement strict PDF file validation policies and deploy sandboxing mechanisms to isolate PDF processing activities from core system resources. Network-based defenses including web application firewalls and email security gateways should be configured to scan and block suspicious PDF attachments before they reach end-user systems. Additionally, security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability through endpoint detection and response solutions, paying particular attention to unusual memory access patterns or unauthorized data retrieval activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory boundary checking in preventing information disclosure attacks, aligning with security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework guidelines for protecting against common software vulnerabilities.