CVE-2019-8008 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 have been identified with a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability affecting multiple versions across different release cycles. This vulnerability exists within the software's handling of certain file formats and could be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw manifests when the application processes malformed input data, specifically within the memory management routines that handle document parsing operations. The vulnerability affects versions up to and including 2019.012.20035, 2017.011.30142, 2017.011.30143, 2015.006.30497, and 2015.006.30498, indicating a long-standing issue that spans several major releases. According to CWE-787, this vulnerability maps directly to out-of-bounds write conditions where an application writes data past the end of a buffer, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations. The security implications are severe as successful exploitation allows attackers to gain complete control over the affected system, enabling them to execute malicious code with the privileges of the targeted user. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers could leverage the arbitrary code execution capability to establish persistent access. The attack typically involves crafting a malicious document that triggers the vulnerable code path when opened by the affected software, making social engineering a common initial attack vector. The out-of-bounds write condition occurs during the parsing of specific document elements, where insufficient bounds checking allows memory corruption that can be leveraged for privilege escalation. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious websites. The exploitation process requires the attacker to carefully construct input data that will cause the application to write beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially overwriting critical program structures or function pointers. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered without requiring user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it a preferred target for advanced persistent threat actors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it within the category of memory corruption flaws that have been extensively documented in cybersecurity literature. The out-of-bounds write condition represents a fundamental flaw in the application's defensive programming practices, where proper input validation and memory boundary checking mechanisms were either absent or insufficient. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can manipulate the program's execution flow by overwriting memory contents, potentially redirecting execution to malicious code injected into the application's memory space. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the widespread use of Adobe Acrobat and Reader across enterprise environments, making it a prime target for nation-state actors and organized cybercriminal groups. Security researchers have noted that this particular flaw demonstrates poor secure coding practices that violate fundamental principles of defensive programming. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-787 specifically identifies it as an out-of-bounds write that can be exploited to gain arbitrary code execution, which represents one of the most dangerous categories of software vulnerabilities. Organizations should understand that this vulnerability can be exploited through multiple attack surfaces including network-based delivery mechanisms and file-based attacks, making comprehensive defense strategies essential. The presence of this vulnerability across multiple release cycles indicates that Adobe may have failed to properly address similar issues in previous versions, suggesting a systemic problem with their vulnerability management processes. This vulnerability type also represents a common target for exploit development frameworks and has been widely documented in exploit databases and security research publications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action from organizations to update their Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to the latest available versions. The most effective approach involves deploying patches provided by Adobe through their official security bulletin channels, which address the specific memory handling flaws that enable the out-of-bounds write condition. Organizations should implement network-based controls such as content filtering and email scanning to prevent users from accessing potentially malicious documents that could exploit this vulnerability. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted PDF documents in enterprise environments. The vulnerability's exploitation potential necessitates a layered defense approach that combines endpoint protection solutions with network monitoring capabilities to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments should include verification of Adobe software versions to ensure all systems are running patched releases. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding suspicious email attachments and untrusted document sources. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing technologies that isolate document processing to prevent exploitation from affecting the broader system. The vulnerability's presence across multiple years of releases suggests that organizations with legacy systems may need to evaluate their software lifecycle management practices. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual memory access patterns and potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures that can be activated if exploitation attempts are detected, as the vulnerability can enable complete system compromise. The remediation process requires careful testing of patches in controlled environments before widespread deployment to ensure compatibility with existing workflows and applications.