CVE-2019-8039 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 • 11/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-8039 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 operations within the affected applications, specifically in the way they process certain file formats and embedded objects. The issue stems from improper memory deallocation followed by subsequent access to previously freed memory locations, creating a dangerous condition that can be exploited by malicious actors. The affected versions span across different release cycles including 2019.012.20035, 2017.011.30142, 2015.006.30497, and their respective earlier iterations, indicating this flaw has persisted across multiple software releases and demonstrates the complexity of memory management issues in enterprise-grade document processing applications.
The technical exploitation of this use after free vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious PDF file containing specially constructed objects that trigger the memory management error during document parsing. When the vulnerable application processes such a file, it deallocates memory associated with certain objects but continues to reference those locations, potentially allowing an attacker to manipulate the freed memory contents. This condition creates opportunities for code execution through various attack vectors including heap spraying techniques, where attackers can overwrite function pointers or virtual table entries with malicious code pointers. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 which specifically addresses use after free conditions in software development, making it a well-documented and dangerous class of memory corruption vulnerability that directly impacts application stability and security.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-8039 extends beyond simple arbitrary code execution to encompass potential system compromise and data breaches. Organizations relying on Adobe Acrobat and Reader for document processing face significant risk as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, execute malicious payloads, or establish persistent backdoors within their network infrastructure. The widespread adoption of Adobe Reader across enterprise environments amplifies the potential damage, as successful exploitation can affect hundreds or thousands of endpoints simultaneously. This vulnerability particularly threatens organizations handling confidential documents, financial records, or proprietary information, as attackers can use the exploitation to access and exfiltrate sensitive data. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version lines also complicates remediation efforts, requiring comprehensive patch management across various software releases and potentially affecting legacy systems that may not receive updates.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-8039 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Adobe, as the vendor has released security updates addressing this specific memory management flaw. Organizations must implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes to ensure all affected versions are updated across their infrastructure, including both desktop applications and server-side document processing systems. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can provide additional protective layers by limiting access to vulnerable applications and controlling which files can be processed. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious PDF file processing activities and anomalous memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter indicates that exploitation could involve execution of malicious code through document processing, making behavioral monitoring and endpoint detection crucial. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential exploitation vectors and ensure that patch management processes are functioning effectively across all endpoints utilizing Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications.