CVE-2019-8052 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 • 07/28/2020
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple versions across different release cycles. This vulnerability resides in the handling of malformed PDF files and occurs when the software attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw manifests during the parsing of PDF objects where insufficient bounds checking permits the application to access memory regions that should not be accessible, potentially exposing sensitive data from adjacent memory locations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-125 which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where software reads data past the end of a valid buffer. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through crafted PDF documents that an attacker might deliver via email attachments, malicious websites, or other social engineering vectors. When a user opens a maliciously crafted PDF file, the application's parser encounters malformed data structures that cause it to read beyond intended memory boundaries, potentially exposing system memory contents including sensitive information such as encryption keys, passwords, or other confidential data stored in adjacent memory segments.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on Adobe Acrobat and Reader for document processing and viewing. The exploitability of this vulnerability is relatively high since it only requires a user to open a malicious PDF file, making it a prime target for phishing campaigns and targeted attacks. The information disclosure impact can be severe as attackers may gain access to sensitive data that was previously protected in memory, potentially leading to credential theft, intellectual property exposure, or further system compromise. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions simultaneously, indicating a fundamental flaw in the PDF parsing implementation that spans across different release cycles and maintenance branches.
The attack surface for this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. Security researchers have noted that such out-of-bounds read conditions often serve as stepping stones for more severe exploits, including remote code execution or privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers the use of PDF files as delivery mechanisms for malicious payloads. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader threat landscape where initial access is achieved through document-based attacks that leverage the widespread use of PDF viewers in enterprise environments.
Effective mitigation strategies include immediate deployment of patched versions from Adobe's security advisories, which address the bounds checking issues in the PDF parsing engine. Network segmentation and email filtering solutions should be enhanced to detect and block suspicious PDF attachments before they reach end users. Additionally, organizations should implement application whitelisting policies that restrict users from opening arbitrary PDF files, particularly those from untrusted sources. Regular security awareness training for employees should emphasize the risks associated with opening unexpected PDF files, and system administrators should monitor for anomalous PDF processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against document-based attack vectors that continue to represent one of the most common initial access methods for enterprise security breaches.