CVE-2019-8043 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 read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2025
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read 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 resides in the handling of malformed PDF files and represents a classic buffer over-read condition that falls under CWE-125: Out-of-Bounds Read. The flaw occurs when the software processes certain PDF objects without proper bounds checking, allowing an attacker to craft malicious documents that trigger memory access beyond allocated buffer boundaries. This particular vulnerability is categorized as a remote code execution risk under the ATT&CK framework with techniques such as T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution and T1059: Command and Scripting Interpreter. When exploited, the out-of-bounds read can lead to information disclosure, potentially exposing sensitive memory contents including stack canaries, heap metadata, or other confidential data that may aid in further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects widely deployed software across enterprise environments, with the affected versions spanning multiple major releases from 2015 through 2019. Attackers can leverage this flaw by delivering malicious PDF files through phishing campaigns, drive-by downloads, or compromised websites, where the victim's system automatically processes the document upon opening. The exploitation chain typically involves crafting a PDF with specially constructed objects that cause the application to read memory beyond intended boundaries, potentially leading to privilege escalation or information leakage that could be used to bypass security controls. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face significant risk as the vulnerability can be exploited without user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including sandbox escapes or privilege escalation depending on the execution environment and system configuration. Security researchers have documented similar patterns in other Adobe products where out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities have been successfully leveraged to achieve remote code execution. Mitigation strategies include immediate patching of all affected versions, implementing strict PDF file validation policies, deploying sandboxing solutions, and configuring application whitelisting to restrict execution of untrusted PDF files. Network-based defenses such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help detect and block malicious PDF delivery attempts, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious PDF processing activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in PDF processing security and highlights the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in enterprise software. Organizations should prioritize updating to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader, as these releases include fixes for multiple memory corruption vulnerabilities that address similar attack vectors. System administrators should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all affected systems, particularly in environments where users may inadvertently open malicious documents. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the broader category of software exploitation techniques, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls that address both the immediate vulnerability and the potential for subsequent exploitation attempts.