CVE-2019-8034 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
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-8034 represents a critical use after free flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software. This vulnerability manifests in the handling of memory management within the application's processing of PDF documents, creating a scenario where freed memory blocks are still accessed by subsequent operations. The flaw stems from improper memory deallocation practices that leave pointers referencing already freed memory locations, enabling attackers to manipulate the application's memory state for malicious purposes.
The technical implementation of this use after free vulnerability occurs during the parsing and rendering of PDF content where the application allocates memory for objects and subsequently frees it without properly nullifying the references. When the application attempts to access these freed memory locations in subsequent operations, it can lead to unpredictable behavior and memory corruption. This memory corruption creates opportunities for attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the context of the running application, effectively compromising the system's security posture. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows for privilege escalation and remote code execution without requiring user interaction beyond opening a malicious PDF file.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-8034 extends beyond simple exploitation capabilities to encompass significant security risks for organizations relying on Adobe Acrobat and Reader for document processing. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code with the same privileges as the affected application, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions across different release cycles, indicating a persistent flaw in the software's memory management implementation that was not adequately addressed through previous updates. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions face heightened risk of targeted attacks, especially in environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-416 indicates a fundamental flaw in memory management practices that violates standard security principles for preventing use after free conditions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-8034 require immediate action from organizations to update their Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to patched versions that address the memory management flaw. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment across all affected systems and implement network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable systems. Additional protective measures include implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted PDF files, deploying sandboxing technologies to isolate PDF processing operations, and enabling strict file validation controls for incoming PDF documents. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual memory access patterns and potential exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers may leverage the arbitrary code execution capability to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within compromised systems. Organizations should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions to identify potential exploitation attempts and monitor for suspicious behavior related to memory manipulation activities.