CVE-2019-8013 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 use after free 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 use after free vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-8013 that affects multiple versions across different release cycles. This vulnerability resides in the handling of specific objects within the software's memory management system, where a freed memory location is accessed after the memory has been deallocated. The flaw manifests when the application processes certain PDF files that trigger improper memory deallocation followed by subsequent access to the same memory region. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of use after free conditions, which represents a well-known class of memory safety issues that have been extensively documented in the software security community. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through maliciously crafted PDF documents that an unsuspecting user might open, making it an attractive target for exploit developers. When successfully exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the user's session, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The attack vector typically involves a user opening a specially crafted PDF file that contains malicious code designed to exploit the memory management flaw. This exploit technique aligns with the ATT&CK framework's initial access and execution phases, specifically targeting the use of malicious documents as a delivery mechanism. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution as it can be leveraged for privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and persistent access to compromised systems. Security researchers have noted that the exploitability of this vulnerability is relatively high due to the widespread use of Adobe Acrobat and Reader across enterprise environments, making it an attractive target for nation-state actors and cybercriminal organizations. The affected versions span multiple years of releases, indicating that this vulnerability has remained unpatched for an extended period, increasing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face significant risk as attackers can craft PDF files that exploit this weakness without requiring user interaction beyond opening the document. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability makes it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate through traditional security measures, as the exploitation occurs at the memory management level rather than through network-based attacks. This particular vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping software updated and the risks associated with legacy software versions that may not receive security patches. The exploitation of use after free vulnerabilities typically requires sophisticated techniques that can bypass modern security mitigations such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of all affected versions to prevent potential exploitation and maintain security posture against this and similar memory safety vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's classification as a use after free issue places it within the broader context of heap-based buffer overflows and memory corruption attacks that continue to plague software applications across various platforms and operating systems.