CVE-2019-7965 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions , 2019.012.20035 and earlier, 2019.012.20035 and earlier, 2017.011.30142 and earlier, 2017.011.30143 and earlier, 2017.011.30142 and earlier, 2015.006.30497 and earlier, and 2015.006.30498 and earlier have an out-of-bounds write vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution .
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2020
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2019.012.20035 and earlier, 2017.011.30142 and earlier, 2017.011.30143 and earlier, and 2015.006.30497 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-787 category of out-of-bounds write conditions, where an attacker can write data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions. The flaw occurs during the processing of maliciously crafted pdf files that trigger improper bounds checking in the application's memory management routines. When a user opens or interacts with a specially crafted pdf document, the application attempts to write data to memory locations that are outside the intended buffer boundaries, potentially overwriting adjacent memory segments including critical program structures or function pointers. This vulnerability represents a severe security risk as it can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on the target system with the privileges of the user running the application. The attack vector typically involves social engineering techniques where users are tricked into opening malicious pdf files through email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites. The exploitation process aligns with the attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under technique T1203, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code. Successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given the widespread use of Adobe Acrobat and Reader across enterprise environments and the potential for privilege escalation attacks. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions to mitigate the risk of exploitation, as no reliable workarounds exist for this particular vulnerability. The memory corruption aspect of this flaw makes it particularly dangerous for exploitation in modern operating systems with memory protection mechanisms, as it can bypass certain security features and enable more sophisticated attack techniques. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of timely security updates and proper input validation in document processing applications that handle untrusted content from external sources.