CVE-2019-7071 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 • 06/18/2024
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 resides in the handling of malformed PDF files and represents a classic memory corruption flaw that falls under CWE-129 Input Validation. The out-of-bounds read occurs when the software fails to properly validate array indices or buffer boundaries during PDF parsing operations, allowing an attacker to craft malicious documents that trigger memory access violations. When exploited, this vulnerability enables an attacker to read data from memory locations outside the intended buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive information such as stack contents, heap data, or other memory segments that may contain credentials, encryption keys, or proprietary information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources, making it a prime target for initial access or information gathering phases of cyber attacks. From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2019-7071 could lead to information disclosure that aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1005 Data from Local System and T1041 Exfiltration Over C2 Channel. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it may provide attackers with insights into memory layout structures that could be leveraged for more sophisticated exploitation techniques including privilege escalation or remote code execution. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and memory management practices within Adobe's PDF rendering engine, where proper bounds checking mechanisms are either missing or insufficient to prevent access to unauthorized memory regions. Organizations utilizing Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications should immediately implement security patches and updates from Adobe to mitigate this vulnerability, as the out-of-bounds read condition creates a significant attack surface that could be exploited by threat actors in targeted campaigns. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version lines indicates a persistent issue within Adobe's codebase that requires comprehensive remediation efforts to ensure all affected installations are properly secured against potential exploitation attempts.