CVE-2019-7087 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 a type confusion 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 type confusion vulnerability that affects multiple versions including 2019.010.20069 and earlier, 2017.011.30113 and earlier, and 2015.006.30464 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, though more specifically relates to type confusion where the application incorrectly handles data type expectations during processing. The flaw occurs when the software processes maliciously crafted pdf files that contain malformed objects or structures that cause the application to misinterpret the data types of variables or objects in memory. When exploited, this type confusion allows an attacker to manipulate memory contents and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides a remote code execution vector that can be triggered simply by opening a maliciously crafted pdf file. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to bypass modern security controls such as ASLR, DEP, and stack canaries by carefully crafting payloads that exploit the type confusion to overwrite function pointers or control structures in memory. The vulnerability exists in the document parsing and rendering components of Adobe Reader and Acrobat, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open pdf documents from untrusted sources. This type of vulnerability is classified under ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code on target systems through compromised pdf files.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of all affected versions to the latest Adobe Acrobat and Reader releases, as well as implementing network-based controls such as pdf file filtering at perimeter defenses to block suspicious documents before they reach end users. Organizations should also consider deploying application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of unauthorized Adobe applications and implement user education programs to raise awareness about the dangers of opening untrusted pdf files. Additionally, disabling the automatic opening of pdf files in web browsers and implementing strict email security policies that scan and quarantine suspicious attachments can significantly reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and type safety in software development, particularly in applications that process untrusted data formats such as pdf documents.